I have now seen all eight Oscar-nominated Best Picture nominees (plus a half dozen more than deserved the two other potential spots. American Sniper was the last of these to be released (the first was The Grand Budapest Hotel) and is going to be the highest grossing movie of the lot. It is really quite good.
American Sniper (Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller) – Somehow, American Sniper did not get a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture perhaps because the Hollywood FOREIGN Press sponsors the Globes. Clint Eastwood’s homage to Chris Kyle deserves its Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
Intense, graphic, scary, raw, and realistic, American Sniper isn’t just a war movie. It is a human drama and a testament to the toll a war takes on every soldier. Kyle’s story had already been well publicized, not because of his killing prowess but because of his book and his untimely death. Old when he joined the Navy Seals, Kyle was a patriot, a Texan on a mission to kill the enemy and save his fellow Americans.
But what motivated moviegoers to head in droves to the theater in its opening week? It wasn’t just that Eastwood directed since many of his recent films have not been popular and have been critical disappointments. It might have been Bradley Cooper, who has now been Oscar-nominated for each of his last three films, but probably not. It certainly wasn’t yet another movie about the Iraq war, most of which have been critically acclaimed and box office under-achievers.
I fear it is the billing of the movie as the story of “The Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. History.” Nonetheless, American Sniper set a January box office record and the highest debuting film for Eastwood ever.
Bradley Cooper, one of the hottest actors (double meaning intended) in the world, sets a new high bar as Kyle. Cooper is buff, tough, and perfect for the role, bearing a striking resemblance to Kyle. There is no hint of the actor who made his name in fluff like Wedding Crashers, Failure To Launch, All About Steve, and The Hangover. Cooper inhabits this character and makes you believe you’re watching both the obsessed warrior and the respectful family man. His performance warrants his nomination alongside those of Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch, Steve Carell, and Michael Keaton.
Sienna Miller is surprisingly good as Kyle’s wife, Taya. The part is limited by time and space yet Miller shows both self-assurance and incredible vulnerability.
Eastwood’s touch is less nuanced than his previous efforts, excelling in the war zone but suffering in the domestic scenes. Too much time is spent early in the film introducing the characters, which makes the film drag for a while. But the 84-year-old director manages to create raw emotion with the help of his cast, and the audience can’t help but care for these characters.
What emerges is an outstanding film and a wonderful tribute to a man who served his country and saved hundreds of lives.