The Wars

1983·Movie
1h 58min
40
WeakGoodWatch score

Where to watch

No stream option in US yet.

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

The Wars fingerprint

High energy, big heart, a touch of humor.

Energy

Violent and tense

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Violence8
  • Tension7
  • Spectacle7

Heart

Deeply moving and melancholic

Much of it is about growing up and family.

  • Pathos9
  • Melancholy8
  • Catharsis7

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Dark Humor4
  • Wit & Wordplay3
  • Satire & Parody3

World

History, war, and the mind

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Dialogue Centrality6
  • Rewatchability6

Craft

Standout performances and characters

  • Acting8
  • Character Depth8
  • Direction7

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Editing7
  • Music Composition7

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightSolo WatchTeensThought-Provoking

Skip it if

You need an uplifting moodGraphic violence bothers you

Find more like it

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Robert Ross (Brent Carver) lives a protected adolescence in a well-off Toronto suburb. Secretive and withdrawn, he shares his thoughts only with his sister Rowena (Anne-Marie MacDonald) who is mentally disabled. He feels compassion for his weak and conventional father. He avoids any confrontation with his mother (Martha Henry), a dominating woman whose despondency at having given birth to a handicapped child has turned to bitterness. Rowena occupies a central position in Robert's existence of daydreams and make-believe. When she dies, Robert clashes openly with his family, and decides to take himself in hand. It's 1914. He enrolls in the Canadian army, and, after training in Alberta and Montreal, he finds himself in England and France. The war becomes another way for him to resolve his conflicts, his dramas, his passions--his wars.
WWI DramaPsychological ExplorationTragedy and LossAnti-WarCharacter-DrivenCanadian CinemaIntense and SomberHistorical SettingFamily Trauma

Crew

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about The Wars

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Wars legally?

GoodWatch doesn't know of a legal streaming option for The Wars in the United States right now. Pick another country in the Where to Watch section to check elsewhere.

Is The Wars worth watching?

40
WeakGoodWatch score

Reviews are weak, with a GoodWatch score of 40/100 (IMDb 6.2). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is The Wars rated?

ViolenceSuicide themes

Content advisories: violence and suicide themes.

How long is The Wars?

1 h 58 min

The Wars runs 1 h 58 min.

What language is The Wars in?

English

It was made in English. Produced in Canada.

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