Clint Eastwood took a gambler’s risk when casting his latest piece: “The 15:17 to Paris.”
Based on the actual events of August 21, 2015 when an armed gunman opened fire aboard a crowded high speed rail that departed Amsterdam bound for Paris, the two-time Academy Award winning director chose to cast the actual men involved in the incident in favor of professional actors. The creative move shows Eastwood’s moxie, and essentially serves as a two-edged sword in the result.
For a film that’s a factual account of the events of that day, the primary focus of “The 15:17 to Paris” is the lives and experiences of the three primary characters – beginning as childhood friends in Sacramento, and leading up to their chance encounter with history on a seemingly joyous backpacking trip across Europe.
Rather than casting actors in the roles of Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, and Alek Skarlatos, Eastwood chose to use the three men themselves in an unprecedented decision that succeeds and fails at the same time – depending on your point of view. Regardless of how you view it, the story itself is so outlandish you couldn’t script it if you tried.
Spencer Stone plays the central role in the story, as the movie tends to revolve around him and his life. Stone is depicted as a mischievous but kind youth and perennial underachiever who goes against the doubters in his pursuit of a career in the Air Force. He’s a thoroughly likable character and there’s no way you won’t find yourself cheering for him when he stares down the face of deadly heroism, and having to remind yourself that its actually him and not just an actor playing a part.
The story itself is one of great triumph, following the boys first meeting in junior high school. The three are outcast by teachers, and bullied by fellow students. Going through the next decade of kinship with Spencer and Alek enlisting in various branches of the military and despite being separated by time zones and oceans, they all remain in close contact via video chats and texting. Supporting roles are held well by Judy Greer and Jenna Fischer as the single mothers of Spencer and Alek.
What I loved most about the casting decision was the actual comradery the three share with each other. Its obvious the men are lifelong friends and their incredibly strong bond is something everyone watching can appreciate, and something even the most talented of Hollywood stars simply couldn’t replicate. Because of the deep focus and development on the characters, we really like these people, and feel as though we actually know them.
What hinders the value of this decision is the obvious; Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, and Alek Skarlatos aren’t actors. And in many scenes with the dialogue-heavy movie, its painfully obvious. Some of the lines and interactions are actually damaged by the fact that the men aren’t just being themselves (literally playing themselves) but are reciting lines that just don’t fit or make sense. Many parts come off like the scenes that were too dull to make the cut for some reality television show. There is an actual skill involved in acting, and watching this movie will make you appreciate that facet.
Despite a 90 minute run time, Eastwood suffers with the pacing as well. While the bookends are intriguing, the entire second act consists of the early weeks of the European trip, which literary depict Spencer and Anthony visiting beautiful sites but little else occurring.
Its almost as if Eastwood really wanted to tell the story but had to stretch it out to movie length. At 1:30 its short but still somehow slow.
Everyone watching already knows how its going to end, but the final stage of the story is still thrilling nonetheless.
It has some hangups, but a payoff that’s well worth the wait. Ripe with patriotism and integrity, the film offers promise and hope in a set of otherwise depressing times.
