American Sniper (2014)

From the headlines comes this gripping film, directed by Clint Eastwood, of a young man who is taught by his father to be aggressive when threats come your way. Not too much time is spent on the childhood as we soon see our assertive man become a sniper in the American military. There are some kewl scenes depicting the decision-making skills behind the scope which brings you so much closer to what it means to be a sniper in the armed forces. AMERICAN SNIPER is strong in its balance. One moment you watch bullets fly, the next moment you are listening to a conversation about a mother telling the father his son was just born. Bradley Cooper plays the sniper superbly, he has to show a confident exterior but at the same time a man losing his security in the everyday world of his family. I found the real-life images from his funeral procession to be an excellent way to complete the story of our country's most decorated long-range rifleman. (4.4 stars)