Captain Phillips

"Captain Phillips" is the harrowing, tension filled and exhausting in the best way true story of Somali pirates overtaking of an American freighter ship under the command of said Captain Phillips played by Tom Hanks in a career rejuvenating role that is not to be missed.

Directed by Paul Greengrass of "United 93" and the two best entries in the original Jason Bourne trilogy (Supremacy and Ultimatum), "Captain Phillips" is a tightly wound thriller that is both large in scale and intimate enough to make you feel as if you are a witness to it all. Greengrass is the master of using the camera in a hand held manner that is ideal for this type of story. With scenes taking place in confined spaces onboard the freighter ship as well as the dramatic conclusion inside a lifeboat with Captain Phillips and his pirate hijackers it is a claustrophobic that much like the earlier released "Gravity" helps the viewer experience what the characters are experiencing though here we don't have the 3D technology to exacerbate this sensation-its not needed.

The almost always reliable Hanks has been in a slump as of late choosing to go with roles that require bad haircuts and uninspired acting (The Da Vinci Code), "Captain Phillips" is a welcome returned to form for the actor as this is the type of role that is expected of him and is sure to bring with it an onslaught of end of the year award consideration. Much like the movie itself Hanks brings quiet moments, especially early on in the film as the mild mannered family man Captain who is put in a position that no everyman could be expected to handle any other way than he executes here. The other great performance here is from absolutely unknown Somali actor Barkhad Abdi as the head pirate by the name of Muse. A role that could be easily played as a faceless villain, Abdi brings the human touch to Muse who is clearly out to make a better life for himself by the only way-or option that he knows its a remarkable performance is that its a menacing portrayal but part of you understands why he is who he is.

The events in the movie are true, but as with any "true" story it is hard to really know what happened and even how accurate that events that did happen are portrayed. That being said every moment in this film is believable, there are small moments of humor that break the tension even for a second that seem genuine in a moment of crisis. The scenes on the lifeboat towards the end are the most effective and emotional even with Hanks clearly going for a certain gold statue towards the harrowing conclusion, nothing feels forced.

October brings with it the start of the awards season for cinema and with "Captain Phillips" and the before mentioned and reviewed "Gravity" it looks to be an exciting and ridiculously competitive season. Do yourself a favor and seek out "Captain Phillips" before it gets lost in the inevitable awards bait shuffle, its a decision you will not regret.