Not to get into too many details, but after just watching the film I can't help but think the Doc's son did not truly write that letter, and that it was really his buddy or someone else.
I felt the whole movie revolved around honesty or lack thereof and there came a point (when they went to Hightower's mothers house) where they felt that the truth was not always what was best.
Steve Carell's character is indecisive and unsure throughout the movie: directions to pickup his son, seeing his son's body, deciding what he will wear in his casket... Many of these choices are made or driven by Brian Cranston's character or someone else. The letter was someone's way of "lying" to Carell and ensuring his son did not die pointlessly. I think Washington wrote it, given his and Cranston's conversation on the train: 'I don't know what to say' - 'it'll come to you' or something like that.
Anyway, I felt that the letter was almost too 'perfect'. Carell began showing resentment towards the government and felt his son died without reason. It seems incredibly convenient that the letter is given to him AFTER the funeral, and everything lined up nicely - son died for/doing what he loved, wanted burial next to mom and in uniform... I don't buy it.
Maybe someone with a bit more eloquence can give some thoughts on this? I tried looking for a review with this same thought, maybe someone can point me in the right direction?
Submitted February 21, 2018 at 10:56AM by cmpethrowaway http://ift.tt/2sHRT2P