Projects » The War

Production Year: 1994
Directed by: Jon Avnet
Genre: Adventure / Drama / War
Tagline: What's worth fighting for?
Rating: 6.4/10 (2,046 votes)
Runtime: 127 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Certification: Argentina:13 / Chile:14 / Germany:12 / Netherlands:AL / Norway:11 / Portugal:M/12 / Spain:13 / Sweden:11 / UK:12 / USA:PG-13 / Singapore:PG

Plot Outline: Vietnam War vet Costner must deal with a war of a different sort between his son and their friends, and a rival group of children. He also must deal with his own personal and employment problems that have resulted from his Vietnam experiences.

Awards: 1 win & 3 nominations

Political Film Society, USA 1995 - WON
PFS Award for Peace.
Young Artist Awards1995 Nominated
Best Family Motion Picture - Drama
Best Performance by a Young Actress Co-Starring in a Motion Picture, Lexi Randall.
YoungStar Awards1995 Nominated
Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama Film, Elijah Wood.

Cast

Elijah Wood .... Stuart 'Stu' Simmons
Kevin Costner .... Stephen Simmons
Mare Winningham .... Lois Simmons
Lexi Randall .... Lidia Simmons
LaToya Chisholm .... Elvadine, Lidia's Best Friend
Christopher Fennell .... Billy Lipnicki
Donald Sellers .... Arliss Lipnicki
Leon Sills .... Leo Lipnicki
Will West .... Lester Lucket
Brennan Gallagher .... Marsh, Stu's Friend
Adam Henderson .... Chet, Stu's Friend
Charlette Julius .... Amber, Lidia's Friend
Jennifer Tyler .... Ula Lipnicki
Lucas Black .... Ebb Lipnicki
Justin Lucas .... Willard Lipnicki

Goofs

Continuity: Amber's hands after she jumps from the tree with the rope.
Continuity: The Lipnicki gang dries off too quickly after exiting lake at the quarry.
Continuity: When Billy falls through the top of the water tower, there is a large hole in it. After the boys rescue him and take him out, the top of the tower is back to the way it was before.

Quotes

Stu: "For what? To get our hopes up? To promise us we was gunna have a big house with a tire swing, vanity, and a picket fence, and then just leave, again? What the hell kinda loused up angel is that?"
Lois: "Don't you know nothing would have kept him from you. He's just gone home."
Stu: "We're his home ma. The stupid lord can have him later. Why? Why does he have to take evrything, bad enough our home and all our things. Why'd he have take my daddy? What did I do so wrong that he had to take my daddy?"
Lois: "Oh no honey."
Stu: "He could've taken anyone Charles Manson super old people that already been rotten a hundred years. My daddy was only 34 years old.(looking up) I needed him more than you God, I needed him more."

Stephen: "You otta call um the Limpkickies."
Stu: "I like the Limpdickies."

Stu: "Hey, why don't you leave him alone? Pick on somebody your own size. What's the matter, you guys afraid of a fair fight, one on one?"
Leo Lipnicki: "Maybe you git a point. Ebb..."
Marsh: "Stu... Stu... don't get yourself killed Stu."

Amber: "You guys wanted that up there, then why didn't ya ask me?"
Stu: "Put that thing up there".
Amber: "That the way you ask me? Ain't you not heard the word please?"
Stu: "Please?"
Amber: "Move outta my way, lightweight."

Stephen: "Lidia hit him in the face with a rock? I think I'm gonna have to have a talk with that girl. Is she doing anything else I should know about?"
Stu: "Well yeah. She's doing a lot of things. But I don't think you should know about them."

Stu: "I hope you know them's the kids who just beat me up."
Stephen: "I know who they are son."
Stu: "Then why'd you give them Ma and Lidia's cotton candy?"
Stephen: "Because they look like that hadn't been given anything in a long time."

Stu: "My daddy says that people can do anything they want to as long as they believe they can. Please, God, let him live. You took my dad, don't take Billy. He's just a little kid."
[to Billy] Stu: "You gotta wake up now, you gotta live. You gotta!"