Last night I attended a special screening of The Messenger, a very small, very powerful drama about two soldiers (played by Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson) assigned to one of the worst jobs in the Army-- notifying the next of kin when soldiers have been killed in action. Foster plays Will Montgomery, recently injured in Iraq and serving out his last three months of duty while reeling after his ex (Jena Malone) suddenly gets engaged to someone else. Harrelson plays Tony Stone, a seasoned pro at notifications who helps Will open up while also revisiting some old wounds from his own time in the service. The film is directed by Oren Moverman, who also co-wrote with Todd Haynes the screenplay for I'm Not There.

It's a nicely made, really affecting movie, and will be coming to theaters starting in limited release in November. Take a look at the movie's trailer below, which you can also find in HD at Apple.com. The trailer features selections from some of the most difficult notification scenes, as well as a cover of "Amazing Grace" from Willie Nelson, who also sings "Home on the Range" over the movie's credits. It's not an easy movie to watch, but it's one of those dark dramas that really demands to be seen.