U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Brandon King leads a squad stationed in Tikrit during the Iraq War.

While on duty at a checkpoint, the squad hears gunshots, after which a car speeds past filled with insurgents, one of whom fires an AK-47 at them.

As the firefight ensues, a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) is discharged, destroying one of the Humvees, killing two soldiers inside.

Upon returning to their Texas hometown of Brazos, Brandon and Steve are decorated with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart in a solemn ceremony.

The men pass the time by drinking and watching Tommy shoot his wedding gifts, after their friend Shorty reads the cards.

They also visit Rico Rodriguez, a soldier who was blinded, lost his right arm and leg, and sustained facial burns from saving Tommy from a rocket-propelled grenade, previously during the ambush in Iraq.

Tommy, who is depressed after being discharged from the army, commits suicide, Brandon returns to visit Tommy's grave immediately after the funeral, only to end up in a dispute with Steve, ultimately turning into a physical battle ending with Brandon leaving the cemetery and Steve weeping.

Principal photography began in August 2006 in Morocco and various locations in Texas – Austin, Lockhart, San Antonio and Uhland.

[1] The film was one of a string of films about the Iraq War released in the 2006-2009 period with titles such as; Home of the Brave by Irwin Winkler, Rendition by Gavin Hood, Redacted by Brian De Palma, In the Valley of Elah by Paul Haggis and The Messenger by Oren Moverman, all of which fared poorly at the box office and all of which, besides In the Valley of Elah and The Messenger, received middling critical reviews.

"[8] Peter Travers felt that Stop Loss "touches greatness" despite what he called "a curse hanging over it", and "has the juice to break the jinx.

In its opening weekend, it grossed a mere $4.5 million in 1,291 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking #8 at the box office.