Arian and Ernest were two impassioned students at a West Coast University, who, inspired by their idealistic professor, Dr Malley, took the decision to join the war in Afghanistan, a choice that leaves their teacher both moved and distraught. It is this event that forms the centre from which three initially disparate stories evolve; a firefight in Afghanistan, a privileged but disaffected student debating with Malley and a presidential hopeful trying to win favours from a tenacious journalist. Technically perfect, whether we are in the lecture room or the heat of battle, Robert Redford's film is a thoughtful, liberal take on America's impact on the world through both political and individual choice.