Clint Eastwood

American Sniper

I don’t have the highest opinion of Clint Eastwood (Trouble With the Curve) when it comes to his political leanings, but I cannot deny that his legendary status in Hollywood was cemented long ago. His illustrious body of work includes seminal roles in some of the most iconic films in modern American cinema, but in the second half of his career he has proven to be even more skilled behind the camera, giving us a horde of Academy Award winning films from Million Dollar Baby to Mystic River. In American Sniper he paints a harrowing picture of the devastating effects of war, offering an unflinching glimpse into one man’s heroic service.

Bradley Cooper (American Hustle) gives a tour-de-force performance as Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper in American military history. Like fellow S.E.A.L. Marcus Luttrell (portrayed by Mark Wahlberg in last year’s Lone Survivor) Kyle’s exploits have become the stuff of lore, and both have been subsequently immortalized in film. We are introduced to Kyle as a typical salt of the earth Texan. Spurred to enlist after 9/11, Kyle undergoes grueling boot camp preparation before being deployed to Iraq for the first of four tours.

Two of the most heart-stopping scenes in the film perfectly captured the split second judgment calls he had to make as a sniper. In the first, a mother and son are alternately carrying a missile, and he is forced to eliminate them both. The boy couldn’t have been older than 8, and Kyle took his life with little hesitation. The other scene also involved a child and a weapon, but this time the outcome was different. One is left with the startling realization that Kyle could accept either scenario with no compunction. Kyle was fearless and resolute in battle, but like many soldiers, he found stateside re-acclimation challenging. His relationship with his wife Taya (Sienna Miller, Foxcatcher) was strained because he was often absent, leaving her to raise their two children alone. Taya felt that he’d prefer the company of his comrades to his own family, a notion that Kyle did little to dispel – particularly after returning for a third and fourth tour of duty.

I realize that whether or not you lionize or demonize a particular sniper probably depends on what side he’s fighting for. As the title indicates, American Sniper is heavy on American notions of valor and patriotism. I personally don’t buy into the “rah rah America” narrative, and I choose to evaluate the film on its cinematic merits rather than the propaganda it pushes. That aside, I never questioned Kyle’s belief in the task before him, and I commend him for his unwavering service. Some have expressed an opinion that snipers are cowards, but Chris Kyle didn’t just hide behind his rifle – he got his hands dirty too.

Cooper has easily given the performance of his career, equaling his Oscar nominated turn in Silver Linings Playbook, and surpassing his work in American Hustle. He’s shown flashes of greatness throughout his career and has outdone himself here. His physical and emotional transformation was amazing, and he completely embodied Chris Kyle, from the brawny physique to the Texas drawl. His character’s emotions hurtled from one extreme to the next, and Cooper was pitch perfect throughout. His character’s post-traumatic stress was authentic, and we watched him grasp at normalcy upon his return. This type of film can easily become overrated, due to its subject matter. I think it’s a movie people will want to like, but notions of patriotism aside – I thought it was a well-crafted film that relies heavily on its star, whose presence was undeniable. I think 2015 is off to a good start in film. Grade: A-

Argo

Some things just lend themselves to cinematic visualization.  You’re probably familiar with the expression “stranger than fiction,” a phrase describing the fantastic things that occur in real life, but are so unbelievable they seem like the stuff of fantasy.  We see so many amazing things in movies, most of which is fiction.  How cool is it when the unbelievable shit you see in a movie actually really happened?  Ben Affleck (most recently of The Town) brilliantly depicted the Iran hostage crisis of 1979 in Argo, demonstrating that he could be the next Clint Eastwood one day – a popular actor whose directorial efforts rival his thespian pursuits.

In 1979, the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran was taken over by protestors who were outraged that the United States had granted amnesty to its recently ousted Shah.  In an effort to minimize the security threat of the takeover, the diplomats began destroying classified material before it could be seized, including passport plates and personnel files.  During the siege, six diplomats escaped, taking refuge at the nearby Canadian Embassy.  Back at the American Embassy the dissidents would eventually begin making the hostages painstakingly reassemble the shredded documents, which included personnel files identifying the escaped diplomats.  There were also neighborhood searches of private residences to ensure that no locals were harboring anyone.  Obviously, any American separate and apart from the Embassy would be in grave danger, at risk for public execution as an example to the West.  The escaped diplomats included four men and two women, with two married couples in that number.  Getting the six out of Iran alive would prove a most daunting task, setting the stage for a nail-biting chain of events.

Back on American soil, the CIA hatches a plan to extract the diplomats, and this is where things really get fun and interesting.  Affleck stars as Tony Mendez, an operative whose specialty lies in such creative recovery missions.  The crisis presented a unique conundrum for the Agency, as any ruse to rescue the diplomats must be executed perfectly.  Mendez gets the idea to pose as a Canadian film crew, complete with a fictional script and Hollywood producers.  He plans to prep each diplomat with a cover story that they will have to memorize.  As explained by Mendez’ superior, the scheme is “the best bad idea” they could come up with.  Argo was the name of the movie, a sci-fi flick set against a desert landscape.  The phony film crew is supposedly in Iran scouting potential film locations.  Authenticity was important, so the idea was based on a real script that had been submitted to a studio.  There was even a fake cast lined up!  Throughout the movie I was riveted, marveling the whole time that this actually happened.  Stranger than fiction, indeed.

Quite simply, Argo is a fantastic movie.  It kept pace throughout, beginning with a brief history lesson to let the audience know the circumstances giving rise to the conflict.  This could have been boring, but it was fascinating and insightful.  The scenes in Iran were wrought with tension, and I was on the edge of my seat as if I didn’t know how the story ends.  The tense atmosphere was balanced perfectly by the funny scenes involving the Agency’s formulation of the rescue mission.  Shout out to the veteran Alan Arkin (recently of The Change-Up) in his amusing turn as the film’s producer, Lester Siegel.  I’m also very impressed by Ben Affleck, who wonderfully conveyed the complexity of a character with the weight of the world on his shoulders.  It was Mendez who had to enter Iran and physically escort the diplomats out of the country, relying on his wits and preparation to see him through.  Affleck is three for three in the director’s chair, by my count.  Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Argo prove that this burgeoning new facet of his career has yielded great results thus far.  I’d go as far as to say Argo was one of the best movies I’ve seen this year – a must-see for sure.  Grade: A.