Jason Hall, who adapted Chris Kyle’s autobiography American Sniper for Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper, has responded to the criticism the film is facing. He insists that the film wasn’t made with a political bent, but rather as a portrait of a soldier and the effects of war.
“People see the movie poster, and it’s got a guy and the American flag, and they know Clint Eastwood — the Dirty Harry guy and the Republican convention guy — directed it,” Hall, who earned his first Oscar nomination for his work, told TIME.
Hall explained that he wanted to provide a portrait of a man whose story was both patriotic and tragic. He wanted to show the cost of war.
“It cost him his physical health, his mental health and almost cost him his family — but Chris probably would have paid the price over and over again if he’d been asked, which is both patriotic and totally tragic,” Hall explained.
Critics of the film have suggested that it glorifies a killer. Seth Rogen and Michael Moore were critical of the film at first, too, but they both later said they liked it. Moore especially praised Cooper’s performance.
Cooper was one of the producers on the film and shepherded the project even before Kyle was killed in 2013 in Texas. He was nominated for Best Actor and the film itself was nominated for Best Picture.
image of Bradley Cooper courtesy of INFphoto.com
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