American Sniper

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner, Eric Laden, Luke Grimes
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama, War
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), the most lethal sniper in American history, is a legend on the battlefield, but struggles to reconnect with his wife (Sienna Miller) and family as he tries to transition back to civilian life.

Review:

Tim: In this day and age of big budget blockbusters, franchise fare, and superhero films, it's absolutely shocking to me that American Sniper was the highest grossing film of 2014. That seems like an impossibility to me, but it's the truth. The fact that an Iraq war movie, no matter the talent involved, managed to beat all the big franchise films is a remarkable achievement and it speaks to how good this movie is. For that reason alone, this movie is worth seeing. It helps that it's an expertly crafted film as well.

The story of Chris Kyle is a fascinating, albeit tragic one. I am really glad his story was told, because he lived a fairly remarkable life. While becoming the deadliest sniper in U.S. history is a worthwhile achievement, I was more impressed with the inner character of the guy. At the beginning of the film, we see him as a good-natured cowboy in Texas, living a fairly comfortable life. After 9/11, he volunteered and willingly risked his life multiple times, all to serve his country. His story is the one on screen, but he represents thousands of incredibly brave men all across the country who did the exact same thing. I loved that his story was told. The film did a good job of showing the reasons why he did so many tours in Iraq. While the root of it was always to serve his country, it was fascinating to see how he eventually became more comfortable in a war zone, surrounded by his brothers. Civilian life was difficult, and while he loved his family, I think he looked forward to returning to the structured military life. All in all, his story is truly engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it depicted on screen.

While I still don't love Bradley Cooper, I was fairly well amazed at his performance here. He bulked up massively to play Kyle, but it was about getting big, not getting ripped. That is a huge difference and it spoke volumes about his commitment to portray this person on screen. He really did want to bring the guy to life on screen, and he really does. I didn't often feel like I was watching Cooper, he so inhabited this role. It very likely is the best performance of his career. I'm very glad he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (his third in a row)- he deserved it for this believable, effortless looking (which means he put a ton of effort in) performance. He's the biggest reason to see this movie.

I continue to be perpetually underwhelmed by Sienna Miller. I simply cannot understand how anyone think she's talented. She was average here. I didn't hate her, but she didn't do a single thing that really mattered. I can't highlight one scene where dozens of actresses couldn't have done better. I just don't get her at all.

Eastwood does a very good job of directing a movie that toggles between the battlefields and civilian life. I thought this might be disruptive, but it was a perfect illustration of life for many soldiers- one day you're hunting terrorists, the next, your tour ends and you head home to play with your kids. Reenlist eventually, and you're back on the front lines. Eastwood did a great job of showing this and the impact it can have on your psyche. I also wanted to highlight one of the best moments of the film- Kyle's almost impossible to believe 2,100 yard shot. It's depicted brilliantly on screen, as Kyle faces off against an enemy sniper. A lot of this was changed for dramatic purposes, but the fact that he actually made that shot shows why he was nicknamed Legend. It was one of the most intense, exciting moments of the film. I forgave the historical inaccuracies some, because it made for such wonderful entertainment.

Now, while there's so many great moments, there's a few flaws as well. I do have to mention the fake baby scene. I'd heard about it before I saw the movie, so I was looking for it. It was so stunningly bad, though, that it immediately took me out of the story. I know the story behind it, but it's just a terrible scene. The other issue I struggled with is how perfect Kyle is portrayed on screen. I don't mean infallible- the scenes where he struggles with civilian life show his flaws, but they served a purpose- to showcase how much pressure and stress he was under. My concern is bigger- Kyle is portrayed almost like a saint in this film. He's selfless, patriotic, courageous, strong, kind, moral. I don't doubt that the real Kyle is many of those things, but I wanted to see a little more complexity, a little more realism in the character. It was almost as if everyone involved was so focused on doing the truly heroic Kyle justice that they forgot to make him flawed and real. That hurt the movie.

Still, American Sniper is a fairly exceptionally made film. I marvel at Eastwood's ability at such a late stage of life. The guy is immensely talented. Cooper gives a remarkable performance. Those two reasons are all you need- this movie is absolutely worth seeing.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 8



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