The sign of a great actor is his or her ability to completely transform into the character they are portraying. And that’s exactly what Bradley Cooper did in ‘American Sniper’. He gained 40 pounds, which made him almost unrecognizable, changed his voice to sound like he was born and bred in Texas and even changed his walk.. It took me a few scenes to even recognize him. That’s how great he is in this film, masterfully directed by 84 year old, Clint Eastwood.

‘American Sniper’ is a true story about Chris Kyle, a Navy Seal, who survived four tours of duty in Iraq during the the US/Iraqi war. Kyle was a sharpshooter, nicknamed the ‘Legend’ because of his 160 confirmed kills.It’s no wonder he became one of the most important targets of the Iragi insurgency.

When we first meet Kyle, he’s on a rooftop overlooking a destroyed structure in Fallujah, Iraq, taking aim at a local woman who’s walking with her young son in the distance. He sees they are about to throw a grenade at some nearby Marines. We then flashback to Kyle’s early childhood, where he was already on his way to becoming an ace sharpshooter. This is followed by the adult Kyle riding a bronco at the rodeo. This career does not last very long..

After 9/11, Kyle joins the Navy Seals going through their brutal endurance tests known as ‘Hell Week’. But it’s not all ‘hell’ for Kyle. It’s during this time, he meets a beautiful woman named Taya (Sienna Miller) who becomes his wife. However, being a family man is not exactly in the cards for Kyle.

It’s off to Iraq and from his first tour of duty, his life will be forever changed. For those of you who have read the book, you know what happens, but for those who haven’t read Chris Kyles’ autobiography, written with Scott McEwn and Jim DeFelice, I won’t say anything about the plot that would be a SPOILER.

I will say that Kyle, like many vets that have experienced war, wind up addicted to it. The only place Kyle truly feels at home is in Iraq. In one poignant scene his wife says to him…”Even when you’re here, you’re not here’.

‘American Sniper’ is an intense, exciting, edge of your seat, poignant film that takes us inside the war and shows us the mental, physical and emotional toil it takes on Kyle as well as all the men and women that experience its horrors…

I loved ‘American Sniper’ and found it to be film making at its best. Bravo to Eastwood and Cooper for doing such magnificent work.I gave this film, which opens in theaters, December 25, 2014, my highest bagel score… 5 out of 5. Do not miss it.

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