THE 15:17 TO PARIS
Cert 15 Running time 93 minutes ★★★★
Director Clint Eastwood gives us the slow burn on the fast track in this seat-gripping biographical drama.
On August 21, 2015, two off-duty troopers and a buddy were on a Paris-bound train armed only with extraordinary bravery, when they prevented a potential massacre.
In a remarkable show of faith – and possibly filmmaking ego – Eastwood casts Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler and Alek Skarlatos as themselves and, in fairness, they do a pretty decent job. Credit to the director for tailoring his film to their abilities.
The incident occupies only a small part of the film so Eastwood can show in depth just how ordinary these blue collar guys were, going as far back to when they were naughty school kids. Once we know and like them, he dumps us next to them on the train that changed their lives.
This isn’t about terrorism or even the unnamed terrorist, but an examination of what makes a hero. You’ll want to salute them.