New Jersey Stage January 2015 | Page 56

most effective moment of Kyle’s difficult home life feels like a holdover from Spielberg’s draft, cleverly using a TV set in what feels like a nod to Poltergeist. Cooper delivers a career best performance in the role of Kyle, beautifully under-playing the part and effectively capturing the frustration of balancing a sense of duty with a belief that no end game is in sight. The ex- tra brawn he carries allows his face to shrink into his heft, his muscle a mask for the feelings he can’t express. In portraying a contentious figure without resorting to demonising or valorizing Kyle, Eastwood has crafted an ambiguous portrait of a figure who in an ideal world wouldn’t exist. Not bad for an 84-year-old journeyman. 3.5 out of 5 Watch The Trailer For American Sniper New Jersey Stage January 2015 pg 56