Authors are instructed to hook your audience, pace the action and keep your reader eager to turn each page. Good solid advice. Occasionally there is a tale that demands to be told just the way it took place. No added drama, no window decorating, just the honest life account of everyday men who became heroes. Heroes that saved hundreds of lives.
This weekend we went to see the film directed by Clint Eastwood. The 15:17 To Paris. It wasn’t what I expected, but it was well worth watching.
I expected it would be all high drama aboard the train with three American heroes, along with the aid of a few others, saving the day. That doesn’t occur until the end. By the conclusion of the film you understand the usefulness of the back story.
The initial part of the film takes you through the lives, from childhood to present, of these three admirable young men. It portrayed them honestly, revealing their difficulties, successes and failures. Each having their own struggles. The difficulties were faced with an even stronger conviction to keep trying. The message here is, we only fail when we quit trying.
As young boys they got into their share of mischief. Several scenes show their Mother’s trips to the principal’s office. These were not bad boys, just the type of kid stuff that leaves the parent asking one question. What were you thinking? I can imagine parents viewing the film and feeling there is hope after all for their mischievous youngster.
Some have called the movie dull. I will admit it was a little slow in places but isn’t the narrative of anyone’s life? If the objective was to reveal the tale as a re-enactment, the unvarnished account of the heroes, it hit the spot completely.
Every difficulty, every lesson, every failure, prepared them for that fateful day. The young men were all raised with a solid Christian faith. They are by no means perfect but they are all good men. With the core qualities that produces great men.
The terrorist had sufficient ammunition to kill everyone on the train. I shudder to think they almost chose to pass up the Paris trip.
The drive, conviction and faith of these young men saved a train full of passengers that day.
Big thumbs up to Clint Eastwood for his commitment in producing an authentic portrayal of this story.
Thank God for these brave young men and all the others who assisted in taking down a soulless person intent on killing as many people as he could.
If I had to sum up what this film revealed to me, it would be character, conviction and faith. No matter where you come from, what your religion is, what your race is, in the end it is your character and inner strength that exposes your inner hero.
Thank you, Mr. Eastwood, for delivering their story to us.
