I love feel-good movies like these that are based in real-world events.
While the reason for having the female lead character to be in the base is not real (Andersen Air Force Base in Guam will never be closed due to its strategic importance & the only US base on US territory close to Asia), the hard-work and generosity of the USAF personnel and their families is very much real.
I particularly liked this movie as it reminded me of my own personal experience when I was a very young boy. I'm in my late 40s now living in Australia for the past 35 years, but before this, as a very young boy in the late 70s/early 80s, I lived near Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. And to this day, I still distinctively remember the generousity of the men and women of the USAF, to the local townships every holidays. I still remember how excited the kids like me where at Christmas holidays to see Santa riding at the back of a military truck giving Christmas presents and US chocolates & candies to the kids. But their generousity goes beyond holidays. The local base also provided annually (sometimes more), free vaccinations to the local township, and first to respond and help out the authorities during disasters (ie. Typhoons, floods etc). They even provided free rabies shots to dogs. I know this, as one year when I was 7 or 8, I lined up with my dog to get it. Because of these generous actions, I grew up admiring the Americans. These actions is what wins hearts and minds of the locals.
And it is great that this movie show some of that. But other bases used to do it too. Sadly after Mt Pinatubo erupted and left the base in tatters, the USAF left the region. But their generous actions while they were there is still fondly remembered.
VERDICT: If you like to watch a feel-good movie that is based in real-world generosity, then this is a movie for you. I love it.
While the reason for having the female lead character to be in the base is not real (Andersen Air Force Base in Guam will never be closed due to its strategic importance & the only US base on US territory close to Asia), the hard-work and generosity of the USAF personnel and their families is very much real.
I particularly liked this movie as it reminded me of my own personal experience when I was a very young boy. I'm in my late 40s now living in Australia for the past 35 years, but before this, as a very young boy in the late 70s/early 80s, I lived near Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. And to this day, I still distinctively remember the generousity of the men and women of the USAF, to the local townships every holidays. I still remember how excited the kids like me where at Christmas holidays to see Santa riding at the back of a military truck giving Christmas presents and US chocolates & candies to the kids. But their generousity goes beyond holidays. The local base also provided annually (sometimes more), free vaccinations to the local township, and first to respond and help out the authorities during disasters (ie. Typhoons, floods etc). They even provided free rabies shots to dogs. I know this, as one year when I was 7 or 8, I lined up with my dog to get it. Because of these generous actions, I grew up admiring the Americans. These actions is what wins hearts and minds of the locals.
And it is great that this movie show some of that. But other bases used to do it too. Sadly after Mt Pinatubo erupted and left the base in tatters, the USAF left the region. But their generous actions while they were there is still fondly remembered.
VERDICT: If you like to watch a feel-good movie that is based in real-world generosity, then this is a movie for you. I love it.