Whenever Richard Linklater stamps his name on a project, there’s a huge level of hype riding on my shoulders. He is known for being one of the most versatile filmmakers in the industry, as he’s stepped in the shoes of helming blockbusters and independent features. The Texas-native is a genius and it is difficult not to appreciate the beautiful eye he has for telling stories since it’s been something he’s nailed for over 20 years. When hearing his follow-up to "Everybody Wants Some!!" would be a road-trip dramedy starring three of our finest actors, I was already sold. While I can say that I liked "Last Flag Flying," I hate to disappoint people by saying it’s one of the weaker efforts in Linklater’s category.

Based on Darryl Ponicsan’s novel of the same name, "Last Flag Flying" is set in December 2003, during the brink of the war in Iraq, and follows Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) as he reunites with Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne). Having not seen each other in years, Doc reveals that his son has been killed in battle and wants his fellow Vietnam veterans to accompany him to bring his son’s body from Arlington to Doc’s home in New Hampshire. I will start off by saying that these three characters work off each other perfectly and have top-notch chemistry with one another. There is a lot of respect placed on these three as performers, but this was destined to be great from the start and they managed to crush it.

While the film has quite a few strong comedic moments, I was more engrossed when the film took a halt and focused on it’s somber side. The film's screenplay causes its audience to question whether or not Linklater was going for a comedy or drama and while I can see what he was going for, there should have been a better handle on what he and Ponicsan, who co-wrote the screenplay, wanted to do with the storytelling of this film. Linklater has quite a lot of strong poignant moments thrown in throughout and while it was nice seeing them, I would’ve wanted more of them. I also want to commend Steve Carell for continuing to show his range as a dramatic actor, as he’s becoming one of the finest working today. Since "Foxcatcher," he has really showed his true chops and he is definitely destined to win an Academy Award in the future.

Linklater’s comedy is generally solid, but it felt forced this time around, as Cranston was clearly trying to be the comic relief of "Last Flag Flying." That is not to say that there weren’t times where I didn’t laughed, but with a story like this I would have wanted it to go down the more somber route than being a full-on dramedy. It was refreshing to have those moments where you can take a breath and relax, before Linklater would go back to the depressing subject. At times, I felt like I was watching him mirror what Kenneth Lonergan made work about "Manchester by the Sea," by adding endearing moments before heading back into the pessimistic environment. Also, this film suffers from a slow pace and a dreadful running time. If "Last Flag Flying" ran at the 90-minute-mark, it could have been a vastly better film.

In the end, there is a lot to enjoy about "Last Flag Flying," but it lacks greatness due to the dry screenplay and meandering pace. The performances are phenomenal and the film is really crisp to look at, but this is definitely a step-down for Richard Linklater’s career. It is still a solid effort from him and is worth a viewing, if you’re a long-time fan of his work. I am always excited to see what Linklater throws out there and it was an absolute treat to see him gather three of our most respected actors to work together. It is also interesting to see this follow the trend of a lot of films being set in the early 2000s, including Greta Gerwig’s "Lady Bird."