There are obvious moral issues that come up as a result of the subject matter of Eastwood’s American Sniper, but that isn’t really what the film is about. Instead, it’s a story that touches on the impact of war on the psyche of someone whose job – simply put, is to kill anyone that poses an immediate danger to the Soldiers he’s hired to protect in Iraq, post 9/11.

Bradley Cooper does a brilliant job of portraying Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history – and he does in part with well-placed silences rather than words.

If you know the Chris Kyle story, you already know how this movie ends, and towards the end, you’ll be glad about how Eastwood dealt with the last few scenes; especially what you don’t see just before the real-life footage begins.

Considering Eastwood’s body of work, American Sniper is good, but it’s certainly no Million Dollar Baby (2004) or  Gran Torino (2008). Some have stated that American Sniper feels more like a dictation of the subject’s life rather than an actual movie, and I don’t completely disagree. I think it’s worth watching because Bradley Cooper is great in the role. I recommend watching for his Oscar nomination worthy performance.

Happy Film Loving,

G