Saving Jessica Lynch

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Movie Info

NBC wasted precious little time in offering up a TV-movie adaptation of one of the first truly uplifting stories of the Iraq War. Saving Jessica Lynch stars Laura Regan as the title character, a 19-year-old army private with the 507th Ordinance Maintence Company. On March 23, 2003, Jessica is captured by Iraqi insurgents after the rest of her platoon is wiped out in a roadside bombing not far from Al Nasiryah. Curiously, Jessica doesn't get all that much screen time: The primary focus is on the rescue efforts mounted by a group of Army Rangers and Navy SEALS, with special emphasis bestowed upon Mohammed Al-Raheif (Nicholas Guilak), the courageous Iraqi man who shielded the captured woman from harm while she lay wounded in an enemy hospital (it should surprise no one that the script is based on Al-Raheif's own book, Because Each Life Is Precious. An inordinate amount of poetic license is taken with the events surrounding Jessica's rescue, with a plethora of ridiculous coincidences and serial-like thrills and chills thrown in to pep up the story. To her credit, the real Jessica Lynch herself neither authorized nor promoted the film, which first aired November 9, 2003.

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Drama, Television
Directed By:

Peter Markle
Written By:

John Fasano
Runtime:

120 minutes
Studio:

Daniel L. Paulson Productions

Cast

Laura Regan
as Pvt. Jessica Lynch

Nicholas Guilak
as Mohammed Al-Rahaief

Crystle Lightning
as Lori Piestewa

Susan Pari
as Iman

Lina Patel
as Dr. Hamida

Brent Sexton
as Greg Lynch Sr.

Denice Lee
as Specialst Shoshana Johnson

Amy Jones
as Dee Lynch

Benjamin King
as Sergeant Dowdy

Reed Frerichs
as Pvt. Dale Nace

Rafael Tamayo
as Hernandez

Navid Negahban
as Fedayeen Colonel

Dak Rashetta
as Sgt. James Riley

Brent Anderson
as Capt. Troy King

Michael Rooker
as Commander Curry

Oliver Tull
as Sgt. George Buggs

Josh Berry
as Spec. Edward Anguiano

Donny Boaz
as PFC Patrick Miller

Mark Nutter
as Command Sgt. Maj

Frank Harvey
as Cpl. Harris

Federico Dordei
as Dr. Karim

Meredith McCoy
as Beth

Lauren Wenzel
as Brandi Lynch

Robert McCollum
as Greg Lynch Jr.

Dameon Clarke
as Ranger Harper

Adnan Bahar
as Kaldia

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Critic Reviews for Saving Jessica Lynch

All Critics (2) | Top Critics (1)

Aside from a single hint that the president of the United States is watching the rescue with interest, Saving Jessica Lynch... has nothing fresh to add to the story, and even omits to mention how the Pentagon played the press the first time around.

Jan 29, 2018 | Full Review…

John Leonard
New York Magazine/Vulture
Top Critic
Handsomely produced and legitimately emotional at points, "Saving Jessica Lynch" isn't a great film, but it is decent.

May 3, 2019 | Full Review…

Rob Owen
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette