The film stars Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich, Toni Collette, Jason Patric, Jack Huston, and Jennifer Aniston.

At a party before the men ship off to Iraq, Bartle meets Murph’s mom Maureen, who makes him promise that if anything happens to her son, he’ll bring her the news personally.

Out in the woods, he spies a young couple kissing and starts walking towards them, wading through the deep river where he becomes submerged and nearly drowns.

Meanwhile, Maureen locates where Bartle lives and goes to his home in the hopes of inquiring about her son; she is greeted by Amy who invites her in.

Bartle, after being let go by the police, is apprehended by CID officer Captain Anderson, who informs him he has been investigating Murph’s disappearance.

Bartle says there was, and recounts a holiday party on base where Murph wanted to dance with Jenny but was too nervous to ask her.

David Lowery first adapted the book into a screenplay and was originally tapped to direct, but had to drop out because of a scheduling conflict with Pete's Dragon.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Will Poulter were originally cast but they dropped out after the project was delayed and were replaced by Jack Huston and Alden Ehrenreich, respectively.

The website's critical consensus reads, "The Yellow Birds has a strong cast and a worthy message, but they're both lost in this war drama's rote, clichéd story.

[17] Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times wrote the film is "a thoughtful, melancholy drama whose performances and photography are so strong that we keep waiting for the story to catch up.

[19] Michael Rechtshaffen of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Making a late appearance in the Iraq War movie cycle, the impressively acted 'The Yellow Birds' manages to leave an affecting mark even as it constantly struggles to find a distinctive voice of its own.