Movie Review --- American Sniper

First, I was hesitant to go see this movie because I just knew I would be crying like a baby, just because of the preview that we've all seen of Kyle zeroing in on the boy and his mother and asking if he should shoot. A devil's choice, right? Do you, or don't you? What were his orders -- the sniper's job is to keep the other men on street level safe. He knows them, they are his brothers in arms.

But the movie isn't as painful as I thought it was going to be.  The story takes you and builds your relationship with this man, Chris Kyle, so that when he makes decisions that are forced on him, you understand why he does what he does. Clint Eastwood is a master story teller and why he wasn't up for an Oscar for the job he did of this movie is a mystery (not really.)

I was surprised how "non-political" this movie was.  There wasn't even a hint of politics in it, so don't worry that you will be force fed someones political ideas.  It's not about that.  It's about what our men

and women in service to our nation and to all of us have to face on a daily basis.  It's about what they face both there and back here when they return.  One of the lines in the movie was that it's like grabbing on to an electric fence and not letting go - for the entire time you are in country.  How do you stop that buzz when you get home? That's heart breaking, both for the person and their family.  This movie is about what happens within families after they return.  And it's handled perfectly by Eastwood.  So well done.

Yes, it was entirely silent at the end of the movie.  There is no music playing, no extra reel, nothing to distract you from what you just saw.  Go see this movie, it was excellent.

Just a little more about Bradley Cooper -- wow! Just wow!  He WAS Chris Kyle, bulked up and stoic for this role.  He was perfect.  Hope he gets the praise he deserves for playing a real person and hitting all the right notes.