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SGT. Will Gardner

SGT. Will Gardner

Sometimes The Battle Follows You Home

2019125 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Director
Max Martini
Starring
Max Martini, Omari Hardwick, Lily Rabe, Robert Patrick

A troubled Iraq War veteran struggling to reintegrate into society sets out on a cross-country journey with the hope of reuniting with his young son.

Where to watch

Where can I watch SGT. Will Gardner?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists SGT. Will Gardner streaming on Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about SGT. Will Gardner?

SGT. Will Gardner earns 3 badges, led by Cult Classic and Preferred by US Viewers.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is SGT. Will Gardner worth watching?

SGT. Will Gardner's Midcredits score is the 46th percentile of all films, from 1.7K ratings across 5 sources. 53% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

46th percentile

Better received than 46% of films

62nd percentile among Action46th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)35th
Approval (how many liked it)56th

57 /100

35th percentile of all films

51st percentile among Action36th percentile among 2010s

Critics 30 · Audience 59

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

Approval

How many liked it

53% liked it

56th percentile of all films

70th percentile among Action56th percentile among 2010s
53% rated it 7–1047% rated it 1–6

Critics 22% · Audience 88%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

57th percentile

1.7K ratings across platforms

42nd percentile among Action60th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 33% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$2.5M
Domestic gross$4.4K
Worldwide gross$4.4K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 3rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps see a well-intentioned drama about a struggling veteran held back by its execution.

Fans praised

  • Max Martini's deeply committed, visceral lead performance
  • Moving, heartfelt portrayal of a veteran's reintegration struggles
  • Story's raw emotional honesty and message of support for veterans

Detractors panned

  • Slow pacing and overlong runtime with dragged-out scenes
  • Formulaic, melodramatic script with a meandering structure
  • Self-indulgent direction and heavy-handed execution

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive70

Deeply moving for fans; perceived as melodramatic and manipulative by detractors

ActingDivisive65

Max Martini's committed lead performance; strong support from Gary Sinise and others, though some find Lily Rabe over-the-top

CharactersDivisive60

Depth to Will's character and his bond with fellow soldiers, but some find supporting characters thin

AtmosphereDivisive60

Immersive look at veteran's internal turmoil and road-trip tone

EndingDivisive45

Fans find it healing; detractors call it fabricated and unsatisfying

Plot and storyDivisive40

Meandering, episodic road-trip structure; some find it fabricated or incoherent

OriginalityDivisive35

Formulaic and trite take on veteran drama

PacingDivisive30

Slow, dragged-out scenes and overlong 125-minute runtime

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 46 points higher than non-US viewers.

Watch experience

What is SGT. Will Gardner like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark.

It takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moods
BittersweetTenseHopeful
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Sentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its subject with earnest seriousness, though occasionally veers into melodrama and sentimentality.
The rideThe mood shifts between tense flashbacks and hopeful encounter, with the heaviest emotional weight arriving in the ending's blunt reminder of veteran hardship.
StructureLinear journey structure with episodic encounters along the way, told in chronological order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's final statistics about veteran homelessness and PTSD linger long after, making it a sobering experience.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

Why this archetypeA war veteran with PTSD embarks on a cross-country motorcycle journey to reunite with his son, seeking redemption and peace.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsTrauma · 7% of filmsPurpose · 9% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeWill's journey is driven by the desire to reconnect with his son, while grappling with the trauma of combat and searching for a new purpose in civilian life.
StanceThe film mourns the struggles of veterans and society's neglect, with Will's personal journey standing in for a broader social issue.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRuralIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernFolkSupportive music · original score
Settingcross-country motorcycle journey across America

Content guide

Is SGT. Will Gardner okay for kids?

Not Rated

SGT. Will Gardner is not rated. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (50/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at moderate (44/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (75/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • Canada18A
  • Germany16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (38 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does SGT. Will Gardner have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in SGT. Will Gardner?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Max Martini
as Will 'Ghost' Gardner
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Omari Hardwick
as Samuel 'Top' Gallegos
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lily Rabe
as Mary-Anne Mackey
Robert Patrick
as Tony
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Elisabeth Röhm
as Kimmy
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Dermot Mulroney
as Buddy
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Gary Sinise
as Larry
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Luis Bordonada
as Charlie Burroughs
JoBeth Williams
as Sherry
Leo Martini
as Will Gardner Jr.
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

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What are movies like SGT. Will Gardner?

The closest match to SGT. Will Gardner is Joe Bell (2020); both are road movies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with SGT. Will Gardner?

2.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: road movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.