It is the story of an American sniper.

Rating: 7/10 (29 January 2015)

Quite literally. This movie doesn't get too political, so do not expect to see many questions raised about the validity of the Iraqi war. It's fine and definitely fair for people to raise questions about why Eastwood didn't go political, but the film is a biography, nothing more.
Eastwood follows legendary Navy Seal sniper Chris Kyle from his life as a cowboy in Texas to his tours in Iraq, and all the way to his death back in the States.
I will state first off that the movie is technically gorgeous. The filming locations, effects, and set pieces are extraordinary. Eastwood was very meticulous in choosing what we see and do not see and showed that he can still direct an Oscar contender into his 80's.
You will know the scene when you see it, but the tension that is built into Chris Kyle's first sniper kill is beautifully and hauntingly well directed. Kudos to Eastwood and Cooper for making that scene movie magic. It is probably one of the best scenes out of the movie and probably out of any movie made this year.
Acting is very well across the board. Bradley Cooper absolutely NAILS the role. I was actually shocked when I saw Cooper on Jimmy Fallon and he didn't have the Texas accent going on. If you have seen some of Eastwood's other movies, you'll recognize some familiar faces. Sienna Miller's portrayal of the "wife" was pretty wooden and uninspiring, but what else can you do? The movie was more focused on the Iraqi tours than Chris' home life. Overall the acting was good where it needed to be and so-so in the roles where it didn't matter as much.
If there is one statement that I got from the movie, it's that our veterans come back from war with deep seeded trauma and problems. Again, Eastwood doesn't come right out and say it, but he shows the hardships and toll that the war takes on soldiers and their families.
The movie is well made, emotional, and intense to watch, but it does suffer from some problems. It runs just a bit too long. I enjoyed the movie, but it definitely meandered for the last 15 minutes or so. Another problem is the catalyst which got Chris Kyle to go to war.... I feel like there could have been a few more inciting moments to make Chris such a dedicated soldier, but that's about it.
I REALLY enjoyed this movie, but to think it's "Best Picture" material is a bit too much for me. Not to bring up the "Hurt Locker," but I feel like that was a much better Iraq war movie. American Sniper should definitely get some Oscar nods and is well worth the time to watch, but at the end of the day it's just not Best Picture material in my book..!