No film drama can make us “know” PTSD, but by the end of Thank You for Your Service, you feel as if the agony, and bravery, of our soldiers has become less remote and more tangible. Hall’s filmmaking is crisp, assured, and, at times, quietly audacious.

Considering that there seems to be no end in sight of the country's involvement in the Middle East, the film proves timely and affecting.

The subject matter may be familiar — despairingly so — but writer-director Jason Hall (who previously wrote American Sniper) imbues it with specificity and no-nonsense drama that make the plight of physically and emotionally wounded soldiers sting all over again.

It’s not always effective drama, but as an example for thousands of struggling American families, it’s a serious breakthrough.

A thoughtful drama which sags when it tries to shoehorn its characters into by-the-numbers plot points.