A Film About Many Things (But PTSD Is What Truly Stands Out)

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2017)

While settling into my theater seat to view "American Sniper", I had about as high of expectations as any movie I'd seen in the past year. Rarely do those type of expectations ever get lived up to these days, it seems. That was emphatically NOT the case with this film, however, as it captivated me from beginning to end.
For a basic plot summary (minor spoilers), "American Sniper" focuses on the life of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), who serves multiple terms in Iraq during the early 2000s while wife Taya (Sienna Miller) dutifully waits for him on the homefront with each deployment. Over in Iraq, Chris is an expert sniper, tasked with providing air support and protecting "his guys" from any number of unforeseen calamities (a scene where a young Iraqi boy begins to pick up an explosive device is particular telling on what mental torture Chris's job can be at times). Because, Chris doesn't want to leave until the "job is done", he's a little bit less himself every single time he returns stateside. This puts particular strain on wife Taya and a growing family that Chris does not know how to integrate back into.
One could almost say that "American Sniper" is two movies in one...
First, it is a taut psychological spectacle of the type of warfare that was being conducted in Iraq. A sniper from the opposition is nearly Kyle's equal, while a notorious "Butcher" commits atrocities that begin to wear on Kyle's mental faculties. To me, this was the "weaker" portion of the film (though to call it "weak" would be a travesty), but that's likely because I don't have first- hand experience in that type of environment. It was all kind of surreal to me. A number of people in the group I saw the movie with thought these war/sniping scenes were the best part, so it was probably just personal preference.
Secondly, and to me this is where the flick can go down in history, are Kyle's struggles with post- traumatic stress disorder. Each time he returns back to Taya and the family, he is a little bit less himself, and even a bit more anxious to be back to the battlefield. I was utterly fascinated (and quite more than a bit proud) by how a man can voluntarily put himself into harm's way in order to finish the war at hand and have the back of his fellow soldier. These are the scenes where director Clint Eastwood really excels. He knows exactly how to prod the emotions and then get out of the way so as not to seem preachy.
So, for me, "American Sniper" made my "top films" list because I've never seen a war film tackle the issue of PTSD so brutally. Usually, a soldier returning home will say something like "I saw some things over there" and that's all that will be said. Here, however, the PTSD is actually experienced in chilling fashion.
If Bradley Cooper doesn't get serious consideration for his outstanding performance as Chris Kyle, it would be a crying shame. The auxiliary cast is good as well, but Cooper is almost literally front and center in every meaningful scene or exchange in the picture. He'd certainly get my vote for "Best Actor" to get a gold Oscar, that is for sure.
Overall, "American Sniper" is one of those films that is tough to "like" even though it is truly a gem. The reason being? It is so hard-hitting. The story of Chris Kyle and his family is one that resonates in this day and age, while Eastwood was the perfect choice to get the most out of it. If you want an insight into many aspects of being a soldier that you had likely never thought of before, "American Sniper" is the film to watch.