Through out each episode, the men of Easy Company, no matter what the circumstances always live up to their motto: “We stand alone together.” Enduring relentless weather conditions fighting in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany each man struggles with the thought of his own death and the death of his friends. Each passing battle their numbers dwindle and see their friends mangled or fatally wounded. They continue to motivate one another remaining steadfast with the men next to them. Even after being wounded, their commitment to one another is infallible. Everyman in Easy Company escapes from the hospital just so they could return to the front lines to be with their friends, reinforcing their infinite allegiance to one another.
In the fifth episode the film takes a look at the fighting from a different perspective. This episode is seen through the eyes of a medic named “Eugene Row.” He is a combat medic attached to Easy Company since the initial drop into Normandy but isolates himself from them so as not to get too close. During this episode he scavenges for medical supplies but is always in need because of the constant shelling of Easy Company’s position. From the medic’s standpoint, he is good at his job but hates losing the men he works with.
The realism and the cast of this film is what really reaches out to the audience. At the beginning of each episode, the surviving members of Easy Company tell their recollection of what happened. Listening to their stories and watching the reenactment is heartbreaking. Knowing the men and events being depicted are real is distressing to even think about. During casting, Tom Hanks stated in an interview that each character was chosen not only on their acting abilities but also for the physical resemblance to the character they were going play. For instance, when comparing Damien Lewis to his character Dick Winters their physical traits are very similar, but another character Bill Guarnere played by Frank John Hughes the resemblance is uncanny. These men could be father and son, both have an under bite and even sound the same when they speak. Tom Hanks does an excellent job of choosing a cast that not only resemble the actual characters, but also chooses a cast of relatively unknown actors so as not to take away the attention from the story.
However, there are a few actors worth mentioning. David Schwimmer, better know as “Ross” from the TV sitcom Friends, gives a great performance changing roles from a likeable easy going guy on Friends to an overbearing dictator. It is definitely an atypical role for Schwimmer but he plays the role well. Although, Schwimmer’s performance was notable, just as his character in the story, Schwimmer’s performance is overshadowed by Damien Lewis. His performance is extraordinary. In the book, Dick Winters is described as almost shy but friendly, confident, and genuinely caring. Damien Lewis emphasizes these traits in his role and unquestionably emulates the role of Dick Winters. Ron Livingston also gives a good performance. Livingston plays the role of Lewis Nixon; Dick Winters’ best friend and is one of the many recurring characters throughout the series. One of these three individuals definitely should have brought home an Emmy.
Overall, this is one of the best WW II films ever made. This is the film all others will be compared to when discussing the WW II era. The realism of the whizzing bullets, explosions, and all out chaos is easy for films to mimic but mimicking the emotional aspects of the story is a more difficult task. Yet, in this series it almost seems as if the actors became the characters they played. The only negative aspect of the series is keeping up with all the characters. As the men are wounded, their characters are left out of the series until later episodes and are forgotten about quickly but the main characters such as, Lt. Winters the narrator keeps the viewer well informed.
Ultimately, the goal of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg is to get the viewer to appreciate the sacrifices of the men who fought in World War II. Through emotional commentaries with survivors and astounding cinematic effects, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg immortalize the real life story of the men of “Easy Company” and the bond they share. Anyone can appreciate the sacrifices of these men, but for those who are protected it is hard to realize the price of freedom. Band of Brothers unmistakably illustrates these sacrifices and the cost of our freedom.
