Eve of Destruction
Genre: Drama / War
Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Writer: Jimmy Ellis
Producer: Dwight Gallo
Cast: Jeremy Allen White, Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Connelly, Taylor Russell, Michael Cimino, Chase Stokes, Austin Abrams
Plot: Jimmy Whitman (Jeremy Allen White) steps off a bus in full military uniform, he walks toward his parents’ front steps, having just returned from a tour of duty in the Vietnam War. Jimmy stands on the front steps of his childhood home, contemplating whether he should enter. He walks up the stairs, before entering. Entering the home, he is immediately greeted by his mother, Jane (Jennifer Connelly) with a hug. A small smile comes upon his face at the sight of his mother. She immediately asks if he wants some food or drink. Jimmy shakes his head, just wanting to acclimatize himself back in his home.
WWII veteran and Jimmy’s father Bob (Woody Harrelson), walks through the front door, stumbling through, obviously drunk. Upon seeing Jimmy, he walks toward him, giving him a hug, before saying he is glad, he’s back. A wry smile comes to Jimmy’s face, one of thought.
The next morning, however, is a different story. Bob doesn’t say a word to his son, almost forgetting his existence. This frustrates Jimmy, who tells his mother he is going for a walk, to clear his head.
Jimmy Whitman, slightly younger and way more innocent than today, sits in his living room, Jane’s hand is on his shoulder as she stands next to him. He stares at an envelope. Receiving the most dreaded letter of his generation – the Vietnam War draft order of induction letter. He opens the envelope with it reading that he must report to the draft office by the end of the month to be shipped away for basic training. His mother tries to console him, seeing Jimmy is upset at the letter.
Bob walks in, questioning why Jimmy is sulking. Jane tries to get rid of Bob, however Bob stands tall and tells Jimmy to stop his sulking, he has been called to fight for his country, he should want nothing less. Jimmy looks at his father with anger in his eyes. He stands and yells at his father, this war is nothing, he tells his father that he does not believe in this war, what are they even fighting for. Jimmy continues with Jane attempting to get him to stop, he may say something he doesn’t mean, he ends it by saying he isn’t going with Bob telling him he has no choice. He tells him to suck it up, be a man and fight for his country, just like he had to when he was drafted to serve in WWII.
Jimmy is at a college party with his friends and his girlfriend. He gathers them all in a room, Artie Washington (Michael Cimino), Frank Carter (Austin Abrams) and his girlfriend, Taylor Rooker (Taylor Russell). Jimmy reveals to them that he has been drafted to take part at war. Jimmy hints that he may decide not to go, however. All three of them are confused at this, not thinking he has a choice. After a bit more conversing, Artie and Frank return to the party. Taylor stays in the room with Jimmy and the two of them have a heart to heart conversation, with Taylor able to tell that Jimmy truly wishes not to go to war. The two of them continue talking with Taylor kissing Jimmy. The two of them kiss a bit more before hugging, in a soft embrace Taylor tells Jimmy that she will wait for him.
On his walk, Jimmy runs into an old friend, Artie Washington. The two of them get to talking, well Artie gets to talking, Jimmy doesn’t say much, keeping himself distant. Artie tells him that all the old gang are meeting at a college party later that night, Jimmy should come, catch up with everyone. Jimmy nods, saying he might come by.
Jimmy arrives back home once more with Jane waiting for him. She was waiting to apologise for his father’s behaviour. Jimmy doesn’t want to hear it, continuing to walk to another room. Jane continues apologising with Jimmy turning around, yelling at his mother. He doesn’t want her apologies, she has done nothing, its him. He needs to apologise, he is what has put him through so much shit, not her, but his prick of a father. She tells him she knows, but he is still his father, he needs to remember that.
Arriving at the party, Jimmy immediately darts to the bathroom. He stands in front of the mirror, his piercing blue eyes staring back at him. He lets out a big breath before splashing his face with water. When he leaves the bathroom, he bumps into Taylor. The tension is palpable. The two of them try to speak at the same time, Jimmy then tells Taylor to go first. Taylor apologises to Jimmy. It was too hard to keep in contact with him. Jimmy plays it off okay, he asks that if now she is back they could catch up. Taylor says that she’d like that before a man, Colton Leeds (Chase Stokes), places his arm around Taylor. Taylor introduces the two, Colton, her boyfriend. He holds out his hand to shake. Jimmy eyes stare daggers at Colton, before he snaps out of it, putting on a happy face, he shakes Colton’s hand. They go there separate ways with Jimmy overhearing Colton say that that was weird. Taylor looks back at Jimmy with sorrow in her eyes.
Jimmy takes a few shots at the party before he finds Artie and Frank. The three of them get to talking, going outside for a quieter place. While outside, Jimmy starts displaying a more erratic behaviour, concerning Artie especially. Through conversation Jimmy learns that the two of them were spared from the draft due to being in college, Frank saying he’d probably prefer going and fighting. Jimmy snaps that he would not. Frank tells him to chill before getting Jimmy another drink, “A peace offering”. Jimmy then asks about Taylor, pretending not to have run into her. Artie says he didn’t want to be the one to tell him. She has a new boyfriend. A hippie anti-war protestor.
A now drunken Jimmy, much akin to his father, walks through the party. He sees Colton in the distance of the party. He storms toward him, pushing him. He begins yelling at Colton before Colton swings the first punch. The two of them have a drunken fight with Taylor yelling for some help. Artie and Frank come in and separate them. Colton yells at Artie to get Jimmy out of there. Jimmy shrugs Artie off of him and with a bloody lip leaves. Not before looking at Taylor with sorrow in his eyes. She too offers a similar look.
As Jimmy walks back toward his family home he lets out a big scream before beginning to cry.
Jimmy sits in a library and does some research on avoiding the draft. Taylor comes over to him asking what he is doing. With hurt in his eyes Jimmy tells her he is trying to find a way to avoid going to war. Taylor wants to help as much as she can, she tells him that she remembers reading a while ago about men travelling to Canada and Switzerland to avoid the draft. The two of them search through some newspapers and find the articles in question. Jimmy learns that many others who have objected to serving at war have fled the country, mostly to Canada or Switzerland. Jimmy likes the idea of fleeing and decides on fleeing to Mexico since it’s a shorter trip. He kisses Taylor thanking her over and over again. Jimmy asks her to come with him to Mexico, she nods, of course she will. He tells her they will leave the next night, before they both go their opposite ways.
Jimmy sits in his bedroom with a book on Spanish, as he tries to learn it. He is obviously slowly learning as he is still at the beginners level. He is caught by both Jane and Bob trying to learn Spanish. Bob grabs the book and the two of them ask him why he is trying to learn Spanish. Jimmy clams up but eventually tells them he is trying to impress Taylor, she knows a bit of Spanish and he wanted to show her he did too. Bob scoffs, he should be focusing on getting ready to fight. Jimmy nods, he’ll get onto it.
Jimmy goes from workplace to workplace in his small home town, searching for a job. Everywhere he goes to he gets denied. Public perception has soured on the Vietnam war and its soldiers. Evident by everywhere Jimmy walks having either a protest or anti-war posters. Majority of business owners apologise to Jimmy, telling him that people are surprisingly not happy he's home and fear that his status as a war vet could hurt their businesses. This adds to Jimmy's anger and frustration. Returning home, punching a hole in the wall, behind his door.
Jimmy and Bob sit at the family dinner table. Bob can see his son is struggling so decides to have a heart to heart. Bob tells him that coming home from overseas is always hard, but he is proud of him. (Something Jimmy never hears his father say) He then snaps out of being thankful to his father. He tells Bob that he did nothing to be proud of in Vietnam. Jimmy then vividly describes his unit being ordered to slaughter a village full of women and children. As tears well, he tells Bob that they had already killed all the men in the village, but that wasn’t enough. They were ordered to gun down any remaining women in the village and set fire to all huts, with children inside. If they didn’t do it, they could have been gunned down themselves. Jimmy's father doesn't know how to react. Breaking down, Jimmy then tells his father that he blames him for everything he was forced to do over there. He walks away from the table just as Jane arrives.
Jimmy has packed his bag ready to leave for Mexico. He gets into his car in the dead of the night, but his father gets in first. Bob grills him, asking where he is going, why he has the bag. He lies to his father, telling him he is going to Taylor’s. Bob doesn’t believe him at all, hitting Jimmy. Jimmy finally admits that he is fleeing the country to avoid going to war. Bob pulls out a gun and holds his own son at gunpoint, delivering Jimmy to the nearest draft office, handing him over to military police, who force him inside. Before they take him away Bob apologizes, but says that he is not going to have a fugitive draft dodging son - he'd rather Jimmy hate him for the rest of his life than deal with that shame. Jimmy's father watches his son being dragged away against his will.
Christmas is right around the corner, Jane is finishing off the Christmas Eve dinner in the kitchen as the drunken Bob puts the angel on the top of the tree. After Bob has finished putting the star on the tree he walks into the kitchen and grabs Jane. The two of them begin dancing to the music, a sense of happiness drifts between the two of them. As the song ends, we see Jimmy standing in the doorway. The two of them stop and look at Jimmy, now standing with a gun in his hand aimed at his father. Bob’s smile turns to a scowl, telling Jimmy that he is and was always a child, he doesn’t have the guts to do it. Mid way through the sentence he shoots his father between the eyes. Jane screams hysterically, but Jimmy, a tear coming from his eye tells her he doesn’t want to harm her, but Bob deserved it. He tells Jane that he is going to Mexico, where he should’ve been all along. He tells his mother not to follow him.
Jimmy stands with his unit in a village in Vietnam. Screams echo all around the village, but they turn to a serene silence. Jimmy and the rest of the unit stare at the village burnt down, men, women and children, sprawl dead on the ground. We then see a close up of Jimmy’s face, a man changed forever, the fire burning in his eyes.
As Jimmy drives in the car, we see him tapping on the steering wheel, a police siren and lights drives up behind him, but the police car ends up overtaking him. Jimmy continues his drive toward the border of Mexico. He is asked for his passport by border patrol and is let into the country.
Plot: Jimmy Whitman (Jeremy Allen White) steps off a bus in full military uniform, he walks toward his parents’ front steps, having just returned from a tour of duty in the Vietnam War. Jimmy stands on the front steps of his childhood home, contemplating whether he should enter. He walks up the stairs, before entering. Entering the home, he is immediately greeted by his mother, Jane (Jennifer Connelly) with a hug. A small smile comes upon his face at the sight of his mother. She immediately asks if he wants some food or drink. Jimmy shakes his head, just wanting to acclimatize himself back in his home.
WWII veteran and Jimmy’s father Bob (Woody Harrelson), walks through the front door, stumbling through, obviously drunk. Upon seeing Jimmy, he walks toward him, giving him a hug, before saying he is glad, he’s back. A wry smile comes to Jimmy’s face, one of thought.
The next morning, however, is a different story. Bob doesn’t say a word to his son, almost forgetting his existence. This frustrates Jimmy, who tells his mother he is going for a walk, to clear his head.
Jimmy Whitman, slightly younger and way more innocent than today, sits in his living room, Jane’s hand is on his shoulder as she stands next to him. He stares at an envelope. Receiving the most dreaded letter of his generation – the Vietnam War draft order of induction letter. He opens the envelope with it reading that he must report to the draft office by the end of the month to be shipped away for basic training. His mother tries to console him, seeing Jimmy is upset at the letter.
Bob walks in, questioning why Jimmy is sulking. Jane tries to get rid of Bob, however Bob stands tall and tells Jimmy to stop his sulking, he has been called to fight for his country, he should want nothing less. Jimmy looks at his father with anger in his eyes. He stands and yells at his father, this war is nothing, he tells his father that he does not believe in this war, what are they even fighting for. Jimmy continues with Jane attempting to get him to stop, he may say something he doesn’t mean, he ends it by saying he isn’t going with Bob telling him he has no choice. He tells him to suck it up, be a man and fight for his country, just like he had to when he was drafted to serve in WWII.
Jimmy is at a college party with his friends and his girlfriend. He gathers them all in a room, Artie Washington (Michael Cimino), Frank Carter (Austin Abrams) and his girlfriend, Taylor Rooker (Taylor Russell). Jimmy reveals to them that he has been drafted to take part at war. Jimmy hints that he may decide not to go, however. All three of them are confused at this, not thinking he has a choice. After a bit more conversing, Artie and Frank return to the party. Taylor stays in the room with Jimmy and the two of them have a heart to heart conversation, with Taylor able to tell that Jimmy truly wishes not to go to war. The two of them continue talking with Taylor kissing Jimmy. The two of them kiss a bit more before hugging, in a soft embrace Taylor tells Jimmy that she will wait for him.
On his walk, Jimmy runs into an old friend, Artie Washington. The two of them get to talking, well Artie gets to talking, Jimmy doesn’t say much, keeping himself distant. Artie tells him that all the old gang are meeting at a college party later that night, Jimmy should come, catch up with everyone. Jimmy nods, saying he might come by.
Jimmy arrives back home once more with Jane waiting for him. She was waiting to apologise for his father’s behaviour. Jimmy doesn’t want to hear it, continuing to walk to another room. Jane continues apologising with Jimmy turning around, yelling at his mother. He doesn’t want her apologies, she has done nothing, its him. He needs to apologise, he is what has put him through so much shit, not her, but his prick of a father. She tells him she knows, but he is still his father, he needs to remember that.
Arriving at the party, Jimmy immediately darts to the bathroom. He stands in front of the mirror, his piercing blue eyes staring back at him. He lets out a big breath before splashing his face with water. When he leaves the bathroom, he bumps into Taylor. The tension is palpable. The two of them try to speak at the same time, Jimmy then tells Taylor to go first. Taylor apologises to Jimmy. It was too hard to keep in contact with him. Jimmy plays it off okay, he asks that if now she is back they could catch up. Taylor says that she’d like that before a man, Colton Leeds (Chase Stokes), places his arm around Taylor. Taylor introduces the two, Colton, her boyfriend. He holds out his hand to shake. Jimmy eyes stare daggers at Colton, before he snaps out of it, putting on a happy face, he shakes Colton’s hand. They go there separate ways with Jimmy overhearing Colton say that that was weird. Taylor looks back at Jimmy with sorrow in her eyes.
Jimmy takes a few shots at the party before he finds Artie and Frank. The three of them get to talking, going outside for a quieter place. While outside, Jimmy starts displaying a more erratic behaviour, concerning Artie especially. Through conversation Jimmy learns that the two of them were spared from the draft due to being in college, Frank saying he’d probably prefer going and fighting. Jimmy snaps that he would not. Frank tells him to chill before getting Jimmy another drink, “A peace offering”. Jimmy then asks about Taylor, pretending not to have run into her. Artie says he didn’t want to be the one to tell him. She has a new boyfriend. A hippie anti-war protestor.
A now drunken Jimmy, much akin to his father, walks through the party. He sees Colton in the distance of the party. He storms toward him, pushing him. He begins yelling at Colton before Colton swings the first punch. The two of them have a drunken fight with Taylor yelling for some help. Artie and Frank come in and separate them. Colton yells at Artie to get Jimmy out of there. Jimmy shrugs Artie off of him and with a bloody lip leaves. Not before looking at Taylor with sorrow in his eyes. She too offers a similar look.
As Jimmy walks back toward his family home he lets out a big scream before beginning to cry.
Jimmy sits in a library and does some research on avoiding the draft. Taylor comes over to him asking what he is doing. With hurt in his eyes Jimmy tells her he is trying to find a way to avoid going to war. Taylor wants to help as much as she can, she tells him that she remembers reading a while ago about men travelling to Canada and Switzerland to avoid the draft. The two of them search through some newspapers and find the articles in question. Jimmy learns that many others who have objected to serving at war have fled the country, mostly to Canada or Switzerland. Jimmy likes the idea of fleeing and decides on fleeing to Mexico since it’s a shorter trip. He kisses Taylor thanking her over and over again. Jimmy asks her to come with him to Mexico, she nods, of course she will. He tells her they will leave the next night, before they both go their opposite ways.
Jimmy sits in his bedroom with a book on Spanish, as he tries to learn it. He is obviously slowly learning as he is still at the beginners level. He is caught by both Jane and Bob trying to learn Spanish. Bob grabs the book and the two of them ask him why he is trying to learn Spanish. Jimmy clams up but eventually tells them he is trying to impress Taylor, she knows a bit of Spanish and he wanted to show her he did too. Bob scoffs, he should be focusing on getting ready to fight. Jimmy nods, he’ll get onto it.
Jimmy goes from workplace to workplace in his small home town, searching for a job. Everywhere he goes to he gets denied. Public perception has soured on the Vietnam war and its soldiers. Evident by everywhere Jimmy walks having either a protest or anti-war posters. Majority of business owners apologise to Jimmy, telling him that people are surprisingly not happy he's home and fear that his status as a war vet could hurt their businesses. This adds to Jimmy's anger and frustration. Returning home, punching a hole in the wall, behind his door.
Jimmy and Bob sit at the family dinner table. Bob can see his son is struggling so decides to have a heart to heart. Bob tells him that coming home from overseas is always hard, but he is proud of him. (Something Jimmy never hears his father say) He then snaps out of being thankful to his father. He tells Bob that he did nothing to be proud of in Vietnam. Jimmy then vividly describes his unit being ordered to slaughter a village full of women and children. As tears well, he tells Bob that they had already killed all the men in the village, but that wasn’t enough. They were ordered to gun down any remaining women in the village and set fire to all huts, with children inside. If they didn’t do it, they could have been gunned down themselves. Jimmy's father doesn't know how to react. Breaking down, Jimmy then tells his father that he blames him for everything he was forced to do over there. He walks away from the table just as Jane arrives.
Jimmy has packed his bag ready to leave for Mexico. He gets into his car in the dead of the night, but his father gets in first. Bob grills him, asking where he is going, why he has the bag. He lies to his father, telling him he is going to Taylor’s. Bob doesn’t believe him at all, hitting Jimmy. Jimmy finally admits that he is fleeing the country to avoid going to war. Bob pulls out a gun and holds his own son at gunpoint, delivering Jimmy to the nearest draft office, handing him over to military police, who force him inside. Before they take him away Bob apologizes, but says that he is not going to have a fugitive draft dodging son - he'd rather Jimmy hate him for the rest of his life than deal with that shame. Jimmy's father watches his son being dragged away against his will.
Christmas is right around the corner, Jane is finishing off the Christmas Eve dinner in the kitchen as the drunken Bob puts the angel on the top of the tree. After Bob has finished putting the star on the tree he walks into the kitchen and grabs Jane. The two of them begin dancing to the music, a sense of happiness drifts between the two of them. As the song ends, we see Jimmy standing in the doorway. The two of them stop and look at Jimmy, now standing with a gun in his hand aimed at his father. Bob’s smile turns to a scowl, telling Jimmy that he is and was always a child, he doesn’t have the guts to do it. Mid way through the sentence he shoots his father between the eyes. Jane screams hysterically, but Jimmy, a tear coming from his eye tells her he doesn’t want to harm her, but Bob deserved it. He tells Jane that he is going to Mexico, where he should’ve been all along. He tells his mother not to follow him.
Jimmy stands with his unit in a village in Vietnam. Screams echo all around the village, but they turn to a serene silence. Jimmy and the rest of the unit stare at the village burnt down, men, women and children, sprawl dead on the ground. We then see a close up of Jimmy’s face, a man changed forever, the fire burning in his eyes.
As Jimmy drives in the car, we see him tapping on the steering wheel, a police siren and lights drives up behind him, but the police car ends up overtaking him. Jimmy continues his drive toward the border of Mexico. He is asked for his passport by border patrol and is let into the country.
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