Megan Leavey (film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Megan Leavey

| image = MeganLeaveyPoster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Gabriela Cowperthwaite

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Mickey Liddell
Jennifer Monroe
Pete Shilaimon

}}

| writer = {{Plainlist|

Pamela Gray
Annie Mumolo
Tim Lovestedt

}}

| based_on =

| starring = {{Plainlist|

| music = Mark Isham

| cinematography = Lorenzo Senatore

| editing = Peter McNulty

| studio = LD Entertainment

| distributor = Bleecker Street

| released = {{Film date|2017|6|5|Yankee Stadium|2017|6|9|United States}}

| runtime = 116 minutes{{cite web|url=https://www.amctheatres.com/movies/megan-leavey-52898|title=Megan Leavey|publisher=AMC Theatres|access-date=May 21, 2017}}

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross = $14.5 million{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Megan-Leavey#tab=summary|title=Megan Leavey|website=The Numbers|access-date=July 2, 2018}}

}}

Megan Leavey (also known as Rex){{cite web|url=https://www.booktopia.com.au/dvd-movies/rex/prod9398523090037.html|title=Rex|website=booktopia.com.au|access-date=2 June 2018}} is a 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and written by Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, and Tim Lovestedt, based on the true events about a young Marine named Megan Leavey and a combat dog named Rex. The film stars Kate Mara as the titular character, with Edie Falco, Common, Ramón Rodríguez, and Tom Felton in supporting roles.

The film was released on June 9, 2017, by Bleecker Street, received positive reviews and grossed $14 million.

Plot

Megan Leavey is a US Marine corporal who served as a Military Police K9 handler. She was paired with military working dog Rex (E168). The pair served two deployments in Iraq together. They were first deployed to Fallujah in 2005, and then to Ramadi in 2006, where they were both wounded by an improvised explosive device. Leavey was awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a "V" device denoting heroism in combat.

In 2012, Rex developed facial palsy, which ended his bomb-sniffing duties. Leavey was able to adopt him through the intervention of Senator Chuck Schumer, around April 2012. Rex died on December 22, 2012.{{cite news|work=CBS New York|url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/27/beloved-bomb-sniffing-dog-who-retired-to-live-with-marine-handler-dies/|title=Beloved Bomb-Sniffing Dog Who Retired To Live With Marine Handler Dies|access-date=March 18, 2017}}

Cast

{{Cast listing|

Kate Mara as Megan Leavey
Ramón Rodríguez as Cpl. Matt Morales
Tom Felton as Sgt. Andrew Dean, a veteran dog handler
Bradley Whitford as Bob Leavey, Megan's estranged father
Will Patton as Jim Leavey, Megan's stepfather
Sam Keeley as Sills
Miguel Gomez as Gomez
Parker Sawyers as Navy Corpsman
Common as Gunny Martin
Edie Falco as Jackie, Megan's overbearing mother

}}

The real Megan Leavey is credited in the role of Female Drill Instructor #3, while Rex is portrayed by Varco, in an uncredited role.

Production

On August 7, 2015, it was announced that Gabriela Cowperthwaite would be directing a film about Megan Leavey, to be portrayed by actress Kate Mara, and her military combat dog Rex.{{cite news|last1=Barraclough|first1=Leo|title='House of Cards' Star Kate Mara to Play Iraq War Hero Megan Leavey|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/global/house-of-cards-star-kate-mara-to-play-iraq-war-hero-megan-leavey-1201558979/|access-date=October 19, 2015|work=variety.com|date=August 7, 2015}} The script was written by Pamela Gray, with the help of Annie Mumolo, Tim Lovestedt, and Jordan Roberts. LD Entertainment would produce the film.

Principal photography on the film began on October 12, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina,{{cite news|title=Casting agency seeking extras for Kate Mara movie filming in Charleston|url=http://www.abcnews4.com/story/30236278/casting-agency-seeking-extras-for-kate-mara-movie-filming-in-charleston|access-date=October 19, 2015|work=abcnews4.com|date=October 12, 2015}}{{cite news|title=On the Set for 10/16/15: 'Ab Fab: The Movie' & 'Planet of the Apes' Sequel Start Shooting While 'Star Trek Beyond' Wraps|url=http://www.ssninsider.com/on-the-set-for-101615-ab-fab-the-movie-planet-of-the-apes-sequel-start-shooting-while-star-trek-beyond-wraps/|access-date=October 19, 2015|work=ssninsider.com|date=October 16, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613192307/http://www.ssninsider.com/on-the-set-for-101615-ab-fab-the-movie-planet-of-the-apes-sequel-start-shooting-while-star-trek-beyond-wraps/|archive-date=June 13, 2017}} including scenes filmed at The Citadel, with other scenes filmed in Georgia and New York City, with extensive desert and combat scenes shot in Spain.

Release

In January 2017, Bleecker Street acquired distribution rights to the film and set it for release on June 9, 2017.{{cite web|last1=Lincoln|first1=Ross A.|title=Kate Mara-Starring Iraq War Hero Biopic 'Megan Leavey' Gets Summer U.S. Release|url=https://deadline.com/2017/01/bleecker-street-sets-june-release-for-kate-mara-starring-biopic-megan-leavey-1201883569/|website=Deadline|access-date=January 1, 2017}}

=Home media=

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 5, 2017, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.[https://www.amazon.com/Megan-Leavey-Kate-Mara/dp/B071WQDTSW/ Amazon.com: Megan Leavey (DVD)]. Retrieved September 13, 2017.[https://www.amazon.com/Megan-Leavey-Blu-ray-Kate-Mara/dp/B072QLD33K/ Amazon.com: Megan Leavey (Blu-ray)]. Retrieved September 13, 2017. In the UK and Australia the film was released on DVD as Rex.{{cn|date=January 2023}}

Reception

=Box office=

Megan Leavey was released alongside It Comes at Night and The Mummy and was expected to gross around $3 million from 1,956 theaters in its opening weekend.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-movie-projector-mummy-wonder-woman20170606-htmlstory.html|title=Tom Cruise's 'The Mummy' faces tough box-office battle against 'Wonder Woman|work=Los Angeles Times|date=June 7, 2017}} It ended up grossing $3.8 million, finishing 8th at the box office.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/06/wonder-woman-whipping-tom-cruise-mummy-weekend-box-office-1202111169/ |title='Wonder Woman' Soars On Saturday; 'Mummy' Still Crummy – Sunday AM Box Office|work=Deadline Hollywood |date=June 11, 2017}}

=Critical response=

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 85% based on 103 reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Megan Leavey honors its real-life subjects with a sensitive, uplifting drama whose honest emotion more than makes up for its mild approach to the story."{{cite web|title=Megan Leavey (2017)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/megan_leavey/|website=Rotten Tomatoes|date=9 June 2017 |publisher=Fandango|access-date=October 25, 2017}} On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, the film has average score 66 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web|title=Megan Leavey reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/megan-leavey|work=Metacritic|access-date=June 14, 2017}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.