Thursday 5 February 2015

Film: 'American Sniper'.

Impressive, viscerally powerful, Clint Eastwood-directed feature, with many tense moments and situations, several of them distressing. Not a film to be 'enjoyed' in the usual sense of the word, but absolutely not one to be ignored either.

With only five weeks of this year having lapsed I was already getting alarmed at the number of films which I badly wanted to see passing me by in having awkward or impossible screening times. I thought this one was going to be another which would extend the list. Then, as if by special request, and on the very last day of its three-week run, a cinema puts on a single morning matinee screening. Naturally I couldn't miss out on the chance. 

Bradley Cooper (beefed up for the major part of the film) plays the titular Chris Kyle, a Navy Seal on a succession of tours of duty in Iraq, taking periodic leaves of absence over a few years, to return home to Texas to his wife (Sienna Miller) and their growing family. If I'd been paying more attention to the reviews I should have realised that this was based on a true story. As it was, it hit me like a punch in the gut in the closing credits.
The action scenes on duty are believably tension-ridden. When trying to root out the enemy and their hideaways, which native Iraqis can be trusted? Any of them, children included? Sniping is a feature of both sides of the conflict. Kyle's expertise and successes gives him a commendable reputation among the troops as he witnesses a number of his comrades-in-arms being shot down, some killed outright - and he is steadfast in trying to mete out the same to the enemy.
He makes periodic phone calls to his wife back home, sometimes while on intense duty (slightly strange that it seemed to be vaguely the same time of day in both locations), assuring her of his next visit. I also found the relative scarcity of non-white faces a bit odd, but what do I know?
On his home visits his wife senses a growing alienation in Kyle which, during his final home visit, gets to be a bit scary. One wonders how the horror of what he's seen on duty has affected him, and if it's going to be carried over into his personal life.

There's been talk and criticism about the film 'waving the flag' too much. I can just about see why but I'm not sure that it's fair. There's no large-scale triumphalism at all. The political issues are left unaddressed, but surely just about everybody knows what's going on. (We see TV footage of 9/11 early in the film). Of course there's the ongoing question as to whether the invasion of Iraq was legal at all, which I think may well colour many people's opinion of the film. It's a position I tend to lean towards but, being no expert in international law and the U.N., I leave it for others to argue. If one is adamant that it was indeed illegal, I suppose any film that doesn't present that point of view or imply it will be considered unsatisfactory. (The first review I saw on IMDb called it 'tripe' and rated it 1/10!)  But the film is not about the wider picture. It's simply a personal story of one man on active service.

Acting and direction is of a high standard in all aspects. As usual, Eastwood has his finger on the pulse of what works, and this is a good example of his capabilities.
It's not a film I'd care to see again, only because of the raw emotions involved. I'm tempted to score it with an '8' but, in the final analysis, because of my frequent discomfort while watching, I'll have to mark it down a tad, though that's not a fault of this film intrinsically..........................7.5.  


Btw: I  see that Bradley Cooper is coming to London with the full Broadway production of 'The Elephant Man', for just 12 weeks starting in May. I'd give so much to be able to see it, but its location as well as price, put it, for all practical purposes, beyond my reach. If it's not already booked out for its run it very soon will be. It's playing at London's prestige (and hence most expensive) theatre for 'straight plays', the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. 
When I had lavish resources at my disposal I attended there a few times seeing, among others, Jack Lemmon, with Michael Gambon, in (the unfortunately inferior), 'Veteran's Day'; Liv Ullman in Harold Pinter's 'Old Times' - and one-time hottie, Jean-Marc Barr, with Redgrave (V) in Tennessee Williams' 'Orpheus Descending'. Those were the days! Would that they could re-commence with Mr Cooper in this play!







18 comments:

  1. Ray,
    Bradley Cooper is one of my favorite actors. He is genuine. As good in a comedy as in a drama. I was a bit distressed to see him beefed up for this role, I hardly recognized him in the snippets I've seen of this film. I suspected this film would be good because of Eastwood's direction and Cooper's participation. I'm not sure if I'll see it, probably will. I'm just finishing up on the HBO series "The Wire" and that is just about as depressing (and true) but something you just can't turn away from. Not every movie is "Singing in the Rain."
    Thanks again for another great review Ray.
    Ron

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    1. My pleasure, Ron.
      I have to say that Bradley with muscles, even with yummy beard as most of the time here, is not as attractive (to me) as he is in 'normal' body dimensions. Actually that helped me to see this film more objectively - I wasn't sidetracked by lewdish thoughts.
      Clint Eastwood, despite his dubious (to some) politics, is incapable of making an 'insignificant' film. I think his record in that respect can only be compared to Scorsese, and he may well come out the better of the two.
      You ought to see this one, certainly, but not when you want to watch something uplifting. It's an intense ride all the way.

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  2. I noted that my big man crush Alessandro Nivola
    is also in the elephant man!

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    1. I hadn't realised he was in in the cast, J.G., which only provides me with further angst in my not being able to see it live.
      I first really noticed A.N. in 'Mansfield Park' (1999) where his appearance just about blew everyone else off the screen - and in that film in particular I was besotted by his appearance.He certainly has features and a figure which can't lightly be brushed aside.

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  3. Ray, I love reading your reviews they are so well written.

    We went to see this at the weekend but it was already sold out.

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    1. Sol, thanks for saying that but if you only knew how much I absolutely cringe when re-reading something I'd already posted. I only do it at all to edit and iron out the grammatical errors, tweak the language a bit, but the essential quality of the writing I am hardly ever satisfied with. I think that so many others can express their opinions in finer ways than I can.

      But do try and give this film another chance. It must be coming to the end of its run where you are, if it didn't already do so yesterday.

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  4. Insightful comments, as always. I listened to an interview (radio) with Cooper today. He is one of the producers of the film as well as its star. When the project was first coming together it was to be directed by Steven Spielberg. Eastwood was hired after SS dropped out.
    He also said they were having difficulty getting the project approved at Warner Bros but after all the publicity surrounding Kyle's death in Feb 2102, they were able to get it done.

    The controversy is all over the media and has certainly boosted box office. I agree with the passions of the people who wish it were an indictment of the war but that is not the story they are telling. They are not obligated to turn Kyle's biopic into a remake of "Born on the 4th Of July". That was not Kyle's story.

    re: BTW. I, too wish I could see The Elephant Man. The reviews on the B'way production have been positive, though Brantley took great pains to express almost no opinion on Cooper's performance.

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    1. I noticed that Cooper was included in one of the major non-acting credits, H.K. I'm so pleased that Spielberg didn't do it. It would have turned into such a mush. Eastwood manages to keep mawkish sentiment at arm's length for, well, for most of the time. S.S. would have wallowed in it, as he's done in practically every film since E.T.

      Although it is entirely Kyle's own story there is a great deal of macho posturing in it, especially in the early training scenes. But, like the rest, I think that's just the way it was, and still is. If one was vehemently opposed to the invasion of Iraq, then I think that no matter what film was made, unless it condemned that move, it would be criticised for omitting it. A lot of those people will have made up their minds about this film without having seen it.

      In your last para above, I'm a bit thrown by your mentioning of a 'Brantley'. I've goggled the name and all I get is a singer, Brantley Gilbert. Have you inadvertently mistyped, with 'Bradley (Cooper)' on the brain, or am I missing something?

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  5. It's one of the few films recently which have caught my eye Ray. Thanks for the review.

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    1. It's a film which can't be ignored, Craig. I'd only refrain from recommending it to anyone who gets upset easily at, for example, news bulletins. I'm actually one of those myself, always with remote in hand ready to switch over when there's advance warning of ' "...which some viewers may find disturbing". But with that proviso in mind, it's an easy case of "Go see!".

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  6. No, doubt about it, this is Bradley's year. He has earned yet another Oscar nomination and earning rave, rave reviews for"The Elephant Man" which he totally deserves. When June arrives, I see Bradley walking to the stage to accept his Tony. There can be no other winner.

    I was blown away by his performance. You have to see it to believe it. This play is all about Bradley. Talking about the play,hours later, I wondered if I would have felt the same if his u/s had performed that night

    Patricia Clarkson gave a wonderful performance, as she usually does, And Nivola, I took special notice of him. Interestingly, Nivola appeared along with Bradley in "American Hustle." He is also in the highly praised :A Most Violent Year" which I hope you are able to see.

    The West End is in for a treat when this ensemble arrives, led by Bradley.

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    1. Paul, I omitted to comment in my review of Copper's increasingly evident versatility on screen - but you've seen in person how he's being stretched as never before. He's quite a phenomenon, and still so relatively young too.
      I think lots of the audience would have been asking for a refund if, for some reason, he hadn't been able to perform on the night when you went.

      I cannot imagine how Nivola's presence in 'American Hustle' went unregistered with me. I'm still trying to think which character he was. I must have been blinded by the other big or biggish stars as well as Mr Cooper's hypnotically beautiful and attention-grabbing beard. (I didn't think Copper was half as attractive in 'Sniper'. which is probably just as well).
      It's on my cards to see 'Most Violent Year' this Mon, btw - and in that I shall most definitely looking out for Nivola.

      I mention above that I've already missed several much-awaited films this year - among them and still playing are 'Ex Machina' and 'Inherent Vice', both on at absurdly inconvenient times - and the latter is close on three hours long anyway. I hope that both these come back for a surprise matinee showing, though it's unlikely. Still, fingers are crossed.

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  7. This movie is so entangled with American political agenda and demagogue I have no desire to see it.

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    1. Yes, I can appreciate that, Dr Spo, and was aware of it. I do think one has to divorce ones mind from the politics in order to get the most out of it, which is quite a tall order.
      I had a similar difficulty when I went to see 'The Iron Lady', but did come out thinking it was a good film despite its subject matter and its taking liberties with a history of events which I recall vividly. But 'Sniper' may well arouse even more raw and profound emotions.

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    2. Curiously, many Yanks went to see The Iron Lady mostly to see Ms. Streep. Most hadn't a clue what Thatcher was really like.

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    3. Well, Meryl is worth seeing at any time in any role. I'd have reckoned that most people worldwide didn't know the real Thatcher, as is the case with any other politician of another country. I did feel rather aghast at the number of British gays who supported her and wouldn't hear a word said against her, despite her repressive legislation, not only towards gays but so many of the working class. I suppose it was the allure of a strong woman - a 'mother-figure'. Maybe there was some of that same attitude in America too, though her appeal might have been wider than that.

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  8. I doubt I will see it. War, violence, guns...hold no interest whatsoever. I love Bradley Cooper but subject matter is one I'll skip.

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    1. Fair enough, F.B. It's really one for keen cineastes, rather than a film for those with 'discerning' tastes. Brutal it is so you're not likely to be one who'll derive much pleasure from it.

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