Captain Phillips (2013) directed by Paul Greengrass
In 2009, an American cargo ship captained by Richard Phillips (played by Tom Hanks in the movie) was captured briefly by Somali pirates. The ship had nothing of great value on board; the crew called for help, which was slow in coming. The drama played out in some unexpected ways, so if you are like me and did not know the details of the story before watching the movie, I will not reveal them here.
The movie starts with the mundane New England life of Phillips as he gets ready to fly off and captain the ship around the Horn of Africa. Shipboard security is lax, so he conducts some drills before they have a real-life event to deal with. Two skiffs approach from a distance. Once they are close enough, the captain can see armed men on-board, though the pirates claim to be "Somali Coast Guard" coming for an inspection. Before this happens, we see the lead pirate Muse (Barkhad Abdi) volunteer from his coastal town to hunt. He's a fisherman who is swept up in the local warlord's greed for gain. He's both smart and hard, wanting to make a big score. He's obviously willing to take risks but his focus is on getting the biggest score he can. At one point, Phillips offers him $30,000 in cash (all that's on the ship) and Muse responds, "Do I look like a beggar to you?"
The situation is full of tension. The cargo ship has no weapons other than kitchen cutlery; the pirates are only four men, very few to manage a large ship. Phillips uses some tricks and misdirection. When those don't work, he appeals to reason and the facts of the situation to try to sway the pirates. The pressure on them builds, creating conflict between the pirates. The tale is told in a very unflashy, realistic style that brings out the pathos and the anxiety of the characters. The pirates are given a lot more humane treatment than a viewer would expect.
Recommended.
The movie is discussed on A Good Story Is Hard to Find podcast #304, the reason I watched it. Check them out!
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