What struck me most about Hal Ashby's Coming Home was its incredible use of music, both diegetic and otherwise. There were very few scenes that did not feature music, which certainly kept you in the world of the film. There were not only great popular songs of the time, but slightly lesser-known pieces, all of them fantastic.
At many points, the music seemed to be the antithesis of the emotions being displayed on screen, as in Bill's suicide scene. Other times, the music would help build tension and drama. The Chambers Brothers' song "The Time Has Come Today" was used in its full, 11-minute glory, and ends just as it seems that Bob has completely lost his mind. It leaves you hanging, not knowing what is going to happen next.
I really felt for all of the characters in this film. It is a prime example of how war can affect everyone, whether they realize it or not. It is strikingly poignant for a film that was made in 1978 and takes place a decade earlier. The parallels that can be drawn between Vietnam and today's War On Terror are disturbing, and leave one with a sense of dread and hopelessness for the soldiers who are long overdue to come home.
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