CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven
Coming to theatres this Friday from director Paul Greengrass and Sony Pictures comes a story of a crew, pirates and a man known as CAPTAIN PHILLIPS.
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This film tells the story of Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks), commanding officer of a U.S. container ship. After reading about pirates in the area, Capt. Phillips had the crew work on drills for safety.
As quickly as that is finished Capt. Phillips spots a few boats racing toward the container ship. Immediately taking action they manage to evade the pirates boarding their ship. What they don’t count on is the persistence of one particular Somali names Muse (Barkhad Abdi) who fixes his vessel and goes back for the ship.
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Unable to stop them the second time, Muse and his crew board the container ship. Knowing it was inevitable, Capt. Phillips has the crew hide with orders not to show themselves no matter what.
Muse himself becomes a captive and an exchange is made – or one was to be made as the container ships lifeboat is launched and now Capt. Phillips is their only hostage. Heading for the Somalian coast, the pirates now including Bilal (Barkhad Abdirahman), Najee (Faysal Ahmed) and Elmi (Mahat M. Ali) are agitated.
As the military follows the lifeboat, plans are made that may bring everyone close to the edge!
FINAL WORD: Hanks in the starring role as Captain Phillips is everything an Academy Award winning actor should be. He is poised, controlled, in authority, smart and still a human being. The kind of acting Hanks does in this film is like a dream – especially having spent the last year watching garbage on the screen. I can honestly say I walked away exhilarated by this performance and am secretly hoping to see a golden statue in his hands when its all said and done.
Abdi as Muse is one of the saddest characters I’ve seen in a while. Knowing that every move he makes is wrong he continues to do so. Wanting to keep his village safe, it is desperation that hardens him to the realities of the situation of his own creation. Abdi is amazing and for his first role that is saying a lot. Born in Mogadishu, he immigrated to Minnesota in 1999 and worked for his brother’s cell phone business.
Working with Hanks and director Greengrass, Abdi knew he might face some resentment by the Somali people for his role. Determined to do the film, his performance is affirmation that CAPTAIN PHILLIPS would change his life forever.
Other cast include: Michael Chernus as Shane Murphy, David Warshofsky as Mike Perry, Corey Johnson as Ken Quinn, Chris Mulkey as John Cronan, Yul Vazquez as Captain Frank Castellano, Max Martini as SEAL Commander, Omar Berdouni as Nemo, Mohamed Ali as Asad, Issak Samatar as Hufan, and Catherine Keener as Andrea Phillips.
TUBS OF POPCORN: I give CAPTAIN PHILLIPS five tubs of popcorn out of five. I’m just going to say it folks – there is nothing, and I mean nothing wrong with this film. It is flawless!
Yes, Hanks has one again proved why he is a stellar fixture in Hollywood with a performance that nearly took me out. The cast was on point and melded together so well that not one thing pulled my focus off what was in front of me.
The cinematography is nothing short of perfect as well. From the moment the ship leaves port until the films ending, the audience as well as myself were emotionally exhausted. The audience is actually IN the film surrounded by the same emotions as Capt. Phillips and his crew.
Although nothing could ever bring about the real life experience to each viewer but with Hanks at the helm (as it were), be prepared to experience the story for yourself.
In the end – out here survival is everything!
