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The 15:17 to Paris
(Warner Bros/Village Roadshow Pictures)
By Lucas Allen
You have to hand it to Clint Eastwood for doing something different than most mainstream directors with his movies. In the case of “The 15:17 to Paris,” rather than cast Hollywood actors to portray the real-life heroes, he took the bold approach of casting the heroes themselves in leading roles.
It is quite a novel choice that makes the movie itself an interesting experience to check out. But does themovie still stack up among the director’s finest credits?
On Aug. 21, 2015, a lone gunman boards the Thalys train to Paris and attempts a terrorist attack on the other 500 passengers. But three of the passengers, including U.S. Air Force soldier Spencer Stone, National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos and their friend Anthony Sadler, subdued him and saved lives.
It’s not long before the event captured the world’s attention, proving that heroes don’t always wear capes.
All through the movie, we see the men as kids (played by child actors) growing up struggling in public school and getting into trouble. Even Spencer and Alex’s single moms (Judy Greer and Jenna Fischer respectively) have a hard time understanding their issues. As adults, the two struggle even more as they enter the military, hoping to find something greater to do with their lives.
Eventually, all three of them reunite for a European tour to see the sights and enjoy life’s greatest comforts. Then comes the fateful day that changes their lives forever.
So how does this movie qualify as a particular genre? Is it a true life drama, a Christian film or a European vacation film? The script suffers from an identity crisis with a lack of a proper focus. Since the event itself was short, the writerd have to pad with flashbacks to get the film to 90 minutes. Eastwood seems to be trying to work out the logistical issues, but his magic couldn’t fix those issues in the final cut.
Speaking of which, the event itself doesn’t happen until the final act, which only lasts around five minutes. When it happens, it’s still the highlight of the movie, well shot and edited with intensity like a condensed action movie. However, it makes the rest of the movie feel shallow and empty. That isn’t the director’s fault but, the fault of the screenplay. If this film turns out to be advertisement for a vacation in Europe, it’s surely a convincing commercial.
On the upside, there’s some fine acting from its cast. The three heroes are not too terrible, especially given their lack of acting experience. They’re just acting like their usual selves, which adds to the true realism the movie was going for. Both Greer and Fischer do a good job playing the single mothers, while there are some odd choices for some of the other cast members. Thomas Lennon portrays the principal like his Felix Unger character from “The Odd Couple,” while Jaleel “Urkel” White plays a history teacher. Having comedians play these characters make the early scenes come off as part of a mediocre family film.
Eastwood doesn’t seem to be slacking off, but the end result of “The 15:17 to Paris” is simply a disappointment. Among his many credits as actor and director, this is easily one of the worst he’s ever done. It’s certainly not as terrible as his last starring role in “Trouble with the Curve,” but this makes “The Rookie” look like “Dirty Harry.”
THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for bloody images, violence, some suggestive material, drug references, and language)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 2.25 Stars (Out of Four)
