In Review: "American Sniper" (2014)

This movie has got everyone talking. It deals with aspects of American life that your every day person doesn't see and doesn't understand. I'm talking about war. Before the Vietnam War, the American public never saw the effects of war (Vietnam was the first televised war) and therefore, when they did see the danger and the horror of war, they wanted to stop it all. But what about the guys on the other side of the line? The men and women who risk their lives every day in order to "serve their country"? What does that mean? What does a day in their life really look like? Specifically, the life of someone whose job it is to kill.

The Plot

Based on a book that's based on a true story about a regular American man who joins the Navy SEALS and becomes one of the top snipers in American history with over 100 confirmed kills. What his job does to this man and his family is heartbreaking, hard to watch, and in the end makes you realize that you don't know anything about war. Chris Kyle kills women, children, and anyone else he thinks could be a threat to the American soldiers.

The Stars

Bradley Cooper takes on another serious role. And the hardest part about his role is that he has to pretend like he has it all together when he is at home and away from the war. He has to seem like nothing is wrong when really on the inside, it is like he never left the war. Cooper has a hard time accomplishing this, but I don't think it is because of his acting. I think it's because of the opportunities missed by Clint Eastwood. There is only one time that Kyle gets upset and shows what is going through his head. There is only one time we see the effect war can have on the human soul. The rest of the movie we just see Kyle doing his job. We feel the pain it takes to make those kills but we never truly get inside of Kyle's head.

The Message

One of the things that Kyle said in interviews seems to be shadowed in this film. He said that this was his job and he will stand before God and take ownership of every shot he made. Because he was always protecting his guys. There is a single moment near the middle of the film where Kyle runs into a man whose life he saved. Kyle seems too distracted to pay attention as the man is thanking him. He seems distant from that life at home. He seems to never come back. And then at the end of the film, he is killed by a man who also suffers from the demons left behind from fighting. So I think the message is this combination of how hard it is to be in the war and how hard it is to come home and his job is not to kill but to protect. A lot of the backlash about this movie is people saying that it glorifies snipers and therefore glorifies killers. But it really shows the audience that they kill with purpose and the purpose is to save.

Overall

(This is the actual Chris Kyle, who the movie is based on)

Like every other war movie out there, this is not one I would want to watch again, but I feel like I almost have to. War is a concept I don't understand. I can't wrap my head around why it has to exist and why people willingly enter into them. Of course, this is all coming from a girl who studied to be a journalist and always, always, always question question authority.

I think this movie falls short in a few ways. 1. You never are able to get inside of Kyle's head. It's a complicated thing, his job, and you never really get to understand what it does to him until the very end. 2. The ending. Why end it with Kyle's death? Yes, in real life, he did die. That's where his story ends. But it isn't really. It doesn't end because all of those people that he saved continued living.

I feel like that was the message this movie was trying to say, but it never really got there. There were glimpses of a message but never a clear one. It feels like an opportunity missed.

2 out of 4 Sniper targets

In Review: "Jersey Boys"

In Review: "Jersey Boys"

What happens when a director does something you didn't expect? What happens when something you know and love does a 360 at the hands of a director? I get annoyed, that's what happens. I didn't hate "Jersey Boys", but Clint Eastwood should never touch a movie-musical again- in my opinion.

The Plot

 

 

Based on the Tony award winning musical, "Jersey Boys" tells the backstage story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Boys born and raised in New Jersey leave the streets, but the streets never leave them. Four friends learn how to make music together, live together, and not let their egos get in the way of their fame, which ends up being a lot harder than you would think.

There's the star of the show, the little angel with the angelic voice, Frankie Valli (John Llyod Young). Frankie may be small in stature, but his voice reaches highs that only a real talent can reach. Since the beginning, his friends and his family and his friends of friends have been pushing him to improve his talent so he can become a star. Almost out of accident, Frankie becomes famous- almost. (This is the mob we are talking about after all)

There's the hot-headed schemer Tommy (Vincent Piazza) who claims he discovered Frankie and "taught him everything he knows, but not everything I know". Tommy's connections and dealings run deep- deep enough to put him and his band under.

There's the talented and hard working song-writer Bob (Erich Bergen) who prefers to lock himself in his room to write songs for the voice that inspires him instead of drinking and partying along with the rest of the boys.

Last but not least, there's Nick (Michael Lomenda)- the soft-spoken deep-voiced bassist who has a lot more going on than he is willing to say.

The Stars

 

 

The one thing I want to pat Clint Eastwood on the back for is the casting. As a musical lover (although I never saw this one on stage), I appreciate seeing vets take their rightful place from stage to screen. John Llyod Young originated the role of Frankie Valli on Broadway and has played the role on stage more times than can be counted. He is also the only performer to receive a Tony, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Theatre World Award for a Broadway debut. This kid's voice is amazing! I can't believe that he can actually sing just like the real Frankie Valli. He's got the character and the voice down pat. I just wish I could have seen him on stage!

Erich Bergen and Michael Lomenda both played their roles on stage. Erich Bergen was on the US Tour and Michael Lomenda was the replacement on the US Tour. They both did a perfect job transitioning from stage to screen, which can be a really hard thing for seasoned stage performers.

There seems to be a lot of hype around Vincent Piazza as Tommy. Yes, he is the only one of the four who has never been on stage and had to learn how to play guitar, sing, and dance for the part. But I don't see what the big deal is. His character is flat from beginning to end- not that that is his fault, that's just the way he is written. His singing was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. He comes from a TV background of "Boardwalk Empire" so I guess you could say he's got the gangster-thing down. But I don't think he was spectacular in any way.

The Message

 

 

If you're from Jersey, you get it. If you're not, you don't. (Meaning 95% of viewers think the film has no message behind it- except that Jersey and the people from Jersey are strange. (Why would you take the fall for him?? Why??!!))

Overall

 

 

I've never seen a movie-musical that is so understated and muted to almost a grey color. The music is fantastic. I forgot how many awesome songs Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons wrote and performed. I was tapping my toes from the moment the title card came on screen. But there was no drama or spectacle about this movie. No big flashy numbers or bright colored costumes or fun dance moves or even a climax to the plot. We just sort of got to a high point with no buildup, and the high point wasn't even that high.

There was no movie magic to show the play in a new and different way. It was like Eastwood filmed the whole play from the audience seats and put it on film. No camera angles to enhance emotion or show perspective. It was very straightforward. That goes for the storyline too. I was pretty bored with the story and at times, the plot line moved forward and backward without any explanation. There were themes I wanted to be commented on that were never touched (like Valli's relationship with his wife). I felt like Eastwood only took the bare bones of the show and forgot the heart. That's what I was really missing- heart. Which makes no sense because these love songs have stood the test of time.

I would really like to see the musical and compare its heart to this movie's. I can't entirely blame Eastwood until I know what he had to work with, but I do congratulate him for choosing the right actors for the job.

2 Out of 4 High Notes