American Sniper is an older (2014) movie that I failed to see when I was busy with my kids. I’m glad a little bit of time has passed and the Iraqi war effort is well behind us. It makes one appreciate even more how balanced this film is given the precarious nature of Americans at war abroad.
I’m not surprised to find out that Clint Eastwood directed it as he is a veteran at holding an audience while they navigate the conflicting emotions of violence and self-protection. There are depictions of violence but it only gets gruesome for short stints. There is male camraderie without the overblown chest bumping or creepy macho masculinity.
Bradley Cooper deserved all the praise he seems to have gotten. It was probably around this time that he was the latest name in Hollywood and I was trying to catch up and figure out who he was. In this film, he seems to be carrying a little bit fat compared to his lean look today. His preformance as a military man or a floudering husband are both well done.
I’m not a big fan of war movies. I have yet to see Saving Private Ryan, Full Metal Jacket, or Dunkirk. But I have no regrets about having spent two hours on this powerful and well-performed film
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