The casting of "Da 5 Bloods"

In Spike Lee's "Da 5 Bloods", the four African-American Vietnam veterans who return to present-day Vietnam are played by actors ranging in age from 57 to 67 years old, which is slightly younger than the age of their characters. But in the flashback scenes to their time in Vietnam, they are not played by younger actors, nor are they made up to look younger. The flashbacks are their memories, and while their squad leader who died in the war is still a young man, they picture themselves not as they were, but as they are now. The powerful effect will hopefully inspire more directors to make such bold, anti-realistic casting decisions. (Andrew Shields, #111words, 2 July)