Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

Hang in there,

Sergeant.

American heroism

has a new face today.

Despite heavy enemy fire,

a young infantryman rushes to

the aid of his fallen sergeant.

This now-famous image

was captured on a camera

abandoned by an embedded reporter

during an ambush by anti-coalition forces

in Al-Ansakar, Diyala Province, Iraq.

Nineteen-year-old Specialist William Lynn

was awarded the Silver Star,

and he and the eight-man Bravo squad

have spent the last two weeks

touring the country,

receiving the nation's thanks.

Their tour ends right here in Dallas,

where they'll be performing

in Thursday's halftime show

alongside Destiny's Child.

Hello?

Hey, Billy. How's your head, buddy?

- What?

- You get a good night's sleep?

Yeah, those strippers last night

were really into you, man.

What are you talking about?

Hey, remember that

halftime show we're doing?

- Sh*t!

- With Destiny's Child?

Why don't you join us, dumbass?

Here's the reason

why people love this story.

They give us hope,

they give us reason not to despair.

Yeah.

Six minutes and 40 seconds late.

Yes.

- Are you flakin' on me, Lynn?

- No, Sergeant.

Just dreaming about cheerleaders.

- Good man.

- I know it's not a popular war,

and I know what's going on

in the media right now,

but Bravo's a story about America

feeling good about America again.

When the last time you felt good

about that, huh? Tell me.

Dude! She really liked me.

She gave me a freebie.

Sykes, you are so full of sh*t, man.

We were all wasted last night.

I can't remember sh*t.

You sure as hell can't remember sh*t.

Well, all I know is I got a free dance.

We all got a free dance, boy.

Strippers love their country, too.

What I'm saying is,

there was a connection between us,

you know?

Emotion and sh*t.

That's her job, motherf***er.

Supposed to make you

feel like they like you.

Waitress, actress, stripper, prostitute.

Go f*** yourself.

Come on. At ease with

the trash talk, fellas.

- We're in front of civilians.

- Yeah. Hey, listen up, all of you.

Right now,

by the grace of God and the media,

we are the face of the American military,

and you will act accordingly.

Do I make myself clear?

Hooah!

Man, we're gonna look ridiculous.

Tell me about it, man.

This whole tour's been

one big dog-and-pony show

for the cameras, Sergeant.

Those were just local appearances.

At halftime, we will be performing

on national television

in front of 40 million viewers.

Now, if that happens to be

the mother of all clusterfucks,

then we should blame it

on bad intelligence.

Inspiring words, Sergeant.

No, they're not the...

No, they're not the elite force.

No, they're a bunch of kids

thrown into the deep end

of a not-so-popular war.

And what do they do?

They bond together with love

and brotherhood, that's what they do.

You can't write that sh*t, man. Come on!

You guys the Bravos?

What gave us away?

Sergeant David Dime.

These are the men of 2nd Squad,

otherwise known to the media as "Bravo."

Well, I'm Josh.

I'm liaison from the team,

so if you guys need anything today,

you just tell me.

- I'll be taking care of you, all right?

- Hooah.

Sykes would like his dignity back.

- Crack needs to go f*** himself.

- Come on.

This is Albert Brown,

producer extraordinaire.

- How are you?

- Army set us up with him.

You ever seen the "Fight Night" movies?

- Uh, no.

- Well, you're missing out.

He'll be rolling with us today.

Um, is everybody here?

- Present and accounted for.

- Wait, where's Major Mac?

We're missing our public

affairs coordinator.

He's here, Sergeant.

Ah, Major McLaurin, I'm Josh.

I'm gonna be taking care of you...

He can't hear you.

Major McLaurin was blown up

on the first day of his tour

by an improvised explosive device.

Twice. Lost his hearing.

I'm... I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Um, well, uh, here's your

ride to the stadium.

Courtesy of Mr. Oglesby.

So if you guys'll just...

Wait, wait. Norm Oglesby sent this?

Who the f*** is Norm Oglesby?

All right, now, that's

what I'm talkin' about.

- Just one little drink, Sergeant.

- No!

But, Sergeant...

Sykes, have you not had

your morning glass of shut-up?

"Quietness,

quietness over this countryside,

"except for unmistakable

signals on radio...

"Has anyone looked in the eyes of the dead?

"Is anyone living

to look for future forgiveness?"

Well, I'm not much for poetry,

but this was one of Sergeant Breem...

Shroom's favorites.

I remember him

walking around base camp perimeter

reciting this kind of stuff really loud.

"Just sharing the wisdom," he said,

when I'd tell him to shut the hell up.

Maybe Shroom had a point.

But personally, I believe

he was really using his voice

to let the insurgents draw a

bead on us with their mortars,

because that's the kind

of person Shroom was,

always thinking of the other guy.

Private Beckwith!

Here, Sergeant!

Sergeant Holliday!

Here, Sergeant!

Specialist Koch!

Here, Sergeant!

Specialist Yang!

Here, Sergeant!

Specialist Lynn!

Here, Sergeant!

Private Sykes!

Here, Sergeant!

Specialist Montoya!

Here, Sergeant!

Staff Sergeant Breem!

Staff Sergeant Virgil Breem!

Staff Sergeant Virgil

Jeremiah Breem!

Honor Guard! Attention!

Ready! Aim!

Fire!

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Aunt Marie said she hardly recognized you

on TV, you'd gotten so big.

What's the Army been feedin' you?

We order Domino's, mostly.

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