As “The Best Years of Our Lives” did for World War II veterans, or as “Coming Home” did for those returning from Vietnam, the new drama “Thank You for Your Service” depicts the hardships faced by a group of Army buddies attempting to readjust to civilian life after their harrowing combat experiences in Iraq.
Based on the nonfiction book by David Finkel, the film marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Jason Hall (who nabbed an Oscar nomination for his “American Sniper” script), and casts Miles Teller (best known for his role in “Whiplash”) as the real-life Adam Schumann.
The director and the actor recently revisited Atlanta — where the movie was shot — on a promotional tour.
Q: What drew each of you to this project?
Hall: Steven Spielberg gave me Finkel's book when we were in preproduction on "American Sniper" (which Spielberg had originally planned to direct), and I fell in love with Adam's story. It seemed like a perfect companion piece to the story of Chris Kyle (in "Sniper"). Both of these guys came home from the war and struggled to find their way back to themselves, but where Chris' journey was cut short, Adam was a true survivor. There aren't many movies that tell this side of the war, and that was very compelling to me, an opportunity to continue the conversation and do more for the veterans.
Teller: It's a story that needed to be told, regardless of your feelings about the war itself. Usually, all people talk about is in terms of politicizing the war and forgetting to humanize it. A lot of these guys come back with some serious, complex mental health issues that they need to unpack and deal with. I just really felt for Adam. That's what draws me to a lot of projects, that sense of empathy and curiosity. This was something I wanted to lend myself to, to help bring the story to a larger audience.
Q: How actively involved was Schumann during the making of the film?
Hall: His imprint is all over this movie. In addition to serving as our military adviser, that's his voice you hear on the radio in a couple of scenes, and he even sang backup on the Bruce Springsteen song that plays over the end credits. The reason we haven't seen a lot of movies about this side of the war is that very few returning veterans have the courage to be so bold as to reveal that side of what they've had to go through. That speaks volumes about Adam's character, and we couldn't have been more proud to have this movie riding on his shoulders. It's a monument to his bravery and heroism.
Q: Miles, do you approach or prepare for a role any differently when you’re playing a real person, as opposed to a fictional character?
Teller: Well, I always try to take pride in the work I do, and living up to that standard comes with a certain amount of pressure, either way. But, sure, when you're portraying the life of a real person, you take that a lot more seriously. My primary goal was to authenticate Adam's experiences for the audience, so it was great having him on the set, being able to talk to him between takes and relying on him to steer me in the right direction.
Q: How did you decide on shooting the film in Atlanta?
Hall: We started out in New Orleans, but after a few days, it was pretty clear that wasn't going to cut it, in terms of doubling for Kansas (where Schumann returns after combat). We found everything we needed right here in Atlanta, both from the rural aspect and for the urban scenes. We had a great experience shooting here and couldn't have been happier, not to mention the incredible tax credit you get for filming here in Georgia (he laughs).
