When I was home sick as a young man, I had a very strict daily regimen. A warm bowl of chicken soup, a cold glass of 7-Up, and, of course, my old VHS copy of The 'Burbs. Nothing made me feel better than spending the day with my friends at HInkley Hills. There was crazy Bruce Dern, chubby Rick Ducommen, and flabbergasted Tom Hanks. I suppose the first two are funniest in the film, but it's really Tom Hanks who holds it all together. Throughout his career, Tom Hanks has held many films together, with his everyman charm and pleasant demeanor. Like Jimmy Stewart, he's just a guy you want to spend time with. In a comedy like The 'Burbs, he's just fun to watch. In a dark and intense film like Captain Phillips, Hanks is invaluable as a moral compass and narrative focal point.
Director Paul Greengrass made a wise casting choice with Hanks. In his previous docu-dramas, Bloody Sunday and United 93, Greengrass relied on relative no-namers to fill his cast. While the majority of the Captain Phillips cast is populated with new faces and less-than-famous Hollywood stock, the director clearly understood that an actor with star power was necessary for his lead. And Hanks delivers. He is kind, but tough with his crew. He is intense and brave when facing the modern day pirates. And, finally, he is vulnerable and overwhelmed when saved by the US Navy. Sorry to tell the ending, but read the papers. This is a true story.
Though based on a true story, the film gives us a perspective not featured in many US newspapers. As Phillips begins his long journey aboard his fully loaded cargo ship, we also see the beginning of the pirates' journey. Greengrass shows the dingy shack that lead pirate, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), calls home. The floors are mere dirt, and Muse's bed is nothing but a tarp. As he exits his home, we see that he lives in a small village under the control of a dangerous warlord. We see how few options there were for the young men in this small fishing village. When Phillips asks Muse why he didn't choose a different life, Muse replies, "Maybe in America." As he did in United 93, Greengrass gives both sides of the story. He does not paint the pirates as heroes, but he does depict them as poor men caught in global tradewinds. It feels as though the Captain from prosperous America was destined to meet and confront the Captain from destitute Somalia.
Watching the trailers, I feared that this would be a gung-ho America tale. However, this is no Michael Bay film. It is more akin to Zero Dark Thirty, where neither the heroes or villains are completely innocent or guilty. As does Zero Darky Thirty, the film concludes with the intervention of badass American soldiers. However, they don't come across as cool or heroic, just cold and calculating. Throughout the film, Greengrass juxtaposes the rollercoaster emotions on the ship with the clinical procedurality of the American military. As Phillips is crying and begging for his family, the Navy Seals are a bunch of silent Joe Cools. When the pirates make their outrageous demands, the military negotiator responds with by-the-book misleading conversation. Greengrass presents a Somalian perspective on the American military, and they are much more terrifying than four desperate men in a rusty boat.
Greengrass may be a master at fairhanded storytelling, but his true genius lies in film aesthetics. For smart, exciting global thrillers, there is really no one better than the guy. He basically reinvented action movie directing with his additions to the Bourne series. His shaky camera, steadicam filmmaking has been poorly imitated by many directors. Few directors can cut together such jarring images into one coherent and breathtaking film. That being said, this is perhaps the director's "stillest" film. Maybe he found a tripod in his trunk or maybe he's just changing his style. Either way, it really works for the film. Most of the tension in Captain Phillips comes from camera placement, not camera movement. On the escape boat, Greengrass creates a claustrophobic atmosphere through simple framing. At the same time, he varies his shots so there is no sense of repetition or stagnation. Considering a majority of the film takes place on this small boat, it is impressive that it feels like an ever-changing environment.
The narrative, environment, and perspective; all are in flux in Captain Phillips. In the hands of a less talented director, this would have been a nationalistic action film. With Paul Greengrass behind the camera, the film is fair, complex, and thought provoking. It's a great big world out there, and it's nice to get a little perspective sometimes.
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