The Bottom
Line: At 84, director Clint Eastwood has
rolled up his sleeves, dug his hands in to the dry Iraqi sand and pulled out an
efficient, taught and edge-of-your-seat nail-biter that’s sure to please crowds
nationwide. As evidenced in the
brilliance of it's trailers and marketing, it’s an action-packed and
emotionally charged tug-of-war. Intense
and draining in equal measures. …and
Bradley Cooper – wow – Bradley Cooper.
This guy delivers one of his best performances to date (see also Silver Linings Playbook) by
entrenching himself and portraying a collected, quiet and honorable man of
duty. A man out of step with home life
who struggles deeply when not deployed overseas to protect American soldiers
which, in turn, protects his country and family. To him, they were brothers – to them he was a
hero. Eastwood and Cooper, together,
drum up every last ounce of humanity so that actions and feelings are never
vaguely presented – they’re delivered with fiendish force and gritty gusto. We may be dipped in to broadly brushed yet
tough-to-avoid melodrama at home (a huge
issue it seems with naysaying critics who don’t know no better) – but it
all helps to solidify the urgency and tension with each new tour. This true life, modern day, military warfare western
effectively conveys the good, the bad and the ugly of war – who better to serve it up raw than our
greatest living cowboy himself…
Starring: Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller
Directed by: Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino
and Mystic River)
Rated: R (for strong and
disturbing war violence, and language throughout including some sexual
references)
Running time: 134 minutes
Studio
description: U.S. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle is sent to Iraq with only one mission:
to protect his brothers-in-arms. His pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on
the battlefield and, as stories of his courageous exploits spread, he earns the
nickname "Legend." However, his reputation is also growing behind enemy lines,
putting a price on his head and making him a prime target of insurgents.
Despite the danger, as well as the toll on his family at home, Chris serves
through four harrowing tours of duty in Iraq, becoming emblematic of the SEAL
creed to "leave no man behind." But upon returning home, Chris finds
that it is the war he can't leave behind. (C) Warner Bros
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