On a rainy Sunday afternoon, Dan and I drove down to the historic Cinerama Dome in Hollywood for a showing of American Sniper. A cool result of seeing it at this location, was a bonus clip of an interview with screenwriter, Jason Hall, that was shown after the credits. 

PLOT - Directed by Clint Eastwood, American Sniper is adapted from Chris Kyle's memoir of the same title. Chris Kyle was motivated to join the Navy Seals after the September 11th terrorist attacks and he ended up being the deadliest sniper in U.S. history. The story follows Kyle's four tours in Iraq and his home life, including the courtship and marriage to his wife, Taya and the birth of their children.  

LIKE - Chris Kyle's story is an important one, primarily because despite his skills as a sniper, the heart of his story is he is just another soldier. His story is an everyman story for soldiers and it speaks to the need for society to support them and their families for the sacrifices that they make.

Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle and Sienna Miller as Taya, give exception performances. Miller wasn't even recognizable in her role.

This film is filled with extremely intense ( held my breath) moments and moments of heartbreak. Some of the best moments, were when Kyle was trying to manage his PTSD and continue with life back home. The end credits show a montage of real footage from Kyle's memorial and when it was running, the theatre was completely still, it's a very affecting and emotional tribute to his life.

DISLIKE - Dan loved American Sniper and found no fault, but I thought that the pacing was off. It wasn't a long movie, but it felt long. My mind wandered and I found myself disengaged during his third tour. 

RECOMMEND - Yes. American Sniper is an important story that people need to know. This is not appropriate for young children. It's filled with graphic violence, including torture, that was disturbing to watch. We were surprised to find elementary aged children in the audience with us. This movie would be okay for older teens.