I know that I have been gone for a while; life just sometime gets in the way. So let's get back to it. I start off this post with a thought about what our Independence Day really means. Over 230 years ago we came together as a country to celebrate our independence from King George III. July 4th is a day that we celebrate our freedom, the freedom to govern ourselves. Amongst the political divide, America has alway known that the 4th of July stood for freedom that our founding fathers fought and died for. With that being said I am going to talk about a political and morally controversial film: American Sniper.
I know a lot of things were said about the idea of this film and that we as Americans were condoning taking peoples' lives, even children for that matter. I would like us to take a minute and look at the film as one man's story. Whether you agree or disagree with the War on Terror or if we should or shouldn't have invaded Afghanistan, this is one man's story. It is what he lived through, his choices and sacrifices to keep our county safe. I believe that was totally overlooked.
As the audience we get to see what led Chris Kyle to join the Navy, which will ultimately lead to him becoming a sniper. As a young boy raised in Texas he always dreamed of becoming a cowboy but as he neared his 30s he realized that there must be more to life. During his early years in the SEALs he meets Taya, the woman that will become his wife and the mother of his children . Throughout the film we not only see Chris make tremendous decisions on when to “take the shot” but also how he must learn to navigate when returning home. The struggle is real. There are moments that he would rather be on a rooftop, covered in his own urine, waiting, watching, and protecting the soldiers that are on the ground, than being at a family barbecue. Chris Kyle completed 4 tours in Iraq and has 160 credited kills, more than another sniper in history. After returning home Chris made the decision to reach out to other former military personnel that struggled with PTSD as he did. He tragically lost his life in 2013 at the hands of a veteran that he was trying to help. I'd also like to talk about the amazing acting that Bradley Cooper did. This got lost amongst all the political issues as well. I think that this was one of his best performances. There is a scene where Bradley is sitting in a bar ( I think that this is also seen in the trailer) and he makes the choice to call home and tell his wife that he is home but he just needed some time. I can't even imagine what that would feel like, to be gone from your home in battle and then have to return knowing that life has moved on. Bradley conveys that emotion so well without words. You see it, you feel it; in that moment you can understand what he feels and your heart breaks with and for him. Now that is some good acting. To step into the shoes of a man that lived and extraordinary life and play him on screen takes some major guts; Bradley Cooper was mesmerizing.
Whether you agree or disagree, this was a story of a man who fought for our freedom. He laid his life on the line every day without hesitation, without complaint, without regard of the outcome. You may have seen this film and you may have not, but I encourage you to watch it. Put aside your own pride as to what you think should have been. Watch this film as it is, one man's story of fighting for our freedoms so we can live as we do - just as our founding fathers fought for our independence over 200 years ago.
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