''Saving Jessica Lynch'' is a 2003 American television film that aired on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...

and featured Canadian actress

Laura Regan Laura Regan (born October 17, 1974) is a Canadian actress. She has had leading and supporting roles in the films '' Saving Jessica Lynch'' (2003), ''My Little Eye'' (2002), ''They'' (2002), ''Dead Silence'' (2007), and '' Atlas Shrugged: Part I ...

in the title role. The film begins with the ambush of

Jessica Lynch Jessica Dawn Lynch (born April 26, 1983) is an American teacher, actress, and former United States Army soldier who served in the 2003 invasion of Iraq as a private first class. On March 23, 2003, she was serving as a unit supply specialist w ...

's convoy in the middle of an Iraqi city and follows a version of events that credits an Iraqi citizen, Mohammed Odeh al-Rehaief, with being responsible for helping to arrange a daring rescue by US special operations forces.

Cast

Michael Rooker Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American actor known for his roles as Henry in '' Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer'' (1986), Chick Gandil in '' Eight Men Out'' (1988), Frank Baily in '' Mississippi Burning'' (1988), Terry Cruger in '' ...

as Colonel Curry, who helps plan the rescue mission * Nicholas Guilak as Mohammed Al-Rehaief *

as Private First Class Jessica Lynch *

Brent Sexton Brent Sexton (born August 12, 1967) is an American actor best known for his roles in the television series ''Bosch'', '' The Killing'', ''Life'', and ''Deadwood''. He has guest starred in several other television series, such as ''The Expanse'', ...

as Greg Lynch Sr., Jessica's father *

Mark Moses Mark W. Moses (born February 24, 1958) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Paul Young in the ABC comedy-drama ''Desperate Housewives'' (2004–2011) and as Herman "Duck" Phillips in the AMC period drama ''Mad Men'' (2007–2014). ...

as a Lieutenant * Benjamin King as 1st Sergeant Robert J. Dowdy *

Crystle Lightning Crystle Lea Lightning (born February 5, 1981) is a Canadian-American film actress, musician, DJ, and hip-hop MC. Early life Lightning holds dual citizenship with the United States and Canada. She is the daughter of director and actress Georgina L ...

as PFC

Lori Piestewa Lori Ann Piestewa ( ; December 14, 1979 – March 23, 2003) was a United States Army soldier killed during the Iraq War. A member of the Quartermaster Corps, she died in the same Iraqi attack in which fellow soldiers Shoshana Johnson and Piestewa ...

* Susan Pari as Iman Al-Rehaief * Denise Lee as Specialist Shoshana Johnson * Brent Anderson as Capt. Troy King * Amy Jones as Dee Lynch *

Ethan Rains Ethan Rains (born as Iman Nazemzadeh on February 19, 1981, in Tehran, Iran) is an Iranian- American actor, best known for his portrayal of Dr. Leo Julian on the second season of SOAPnet's '' General Hospital: Night Shift'', a 13-episode prime t ...

as Iman Nazemzadeh (Iraqi Deserter) *

Rafael Tamayo Rafael may refer to: * Rafael (given name) or Raphael, a name of Hebrew origin * Rafael, California * Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israeli manufacturer of weapons and military technology * Hurricane Rafael, a 2012 hurricane Fiction * ...

as Specialist Edgar Hernandez *

Dak Rasheta DAK is the Deutsches Afrika Korps, a German World War II unit. DAK, Dak, dak, or ''variation'', may also refer to: Places * Dak, Kerman, Kerman Province, Iran * Dak, Sistan and Baluchestan, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran * Dakhla Oasi ...

as Sergeant James Riley (as Dak Rashetta) *

Reed Frerichs Reed or Reeds may refer to: Science, technology, biology, and medicine * Reed bird (disambiguation) * Reed pen, writing implement in use since ancient times * Reed (plant), one of several tall, grass-like wetland plants of the order Poales * ...

as Pvt. Dale Nace *

Oliver Tull Oliver may refer to: Arts, entertainment and literature Books * ''Oliver the Western Engine'', volume 24 in ''The Railway Series'' by Rev. W. Awdry * ''Oliver Twist'', a novel by Charles Dickens Fictional characters * Ariadne Oliver ...

as Sgt George Buggs * Josh Berry as Specialist Edward Anguiano *

Donny Boaz Donny Boaz (born December 12, 1980) is an American actor who recently portrayed the role of Chance Chancellor on ''The Young and the Restless''. Career Boaz began his career as a male model for brands such as Abercrombie, Mothers Against Dr ...

as Patrick Miller (soldier)

Inaccuracies

Although the film was based on a true story, most of the circumstances of the rescue have been challenged by the media as well as by Lynch herself. Lynch was portrayed as a heroic soldier who fought up to her capture. In reality, at the time of the crash of her vehicle, she was knocked unconscious and woke up at the hospital with serious injuries. Her rescue operation was carried out at an unresisting civilian hospital. In a review of the movie, Hal Erickson wrote, "An inordinate amount of poetic license is taken with the events surrounding Jessica's rescue, with a plethora of ridiculous coincidences and serial-like thrills and chills thrown in to pep up the story."

Notes

External links

* 2003 television films 2003 films Films set in Iraq NBC network original films Iraq War in television War films based on actual events Films about the United States Army Films scored by Ramin Djawadi Films with screenplays by John Fasano Films directed by Peter Markle 2000s English-language films {{US-tv-film-stub