The Angelina Jolie-directed and Jack O'Connell-starring Unbroken is in cinemas now. Harry Guerin salutes a fine film partnership, and a worthy tribute to a real American hero.
What a year it has been for Jack O'Connell. First there was his performance in prison drama Starred Up; then another triumphant turn in Belfast-set thriller '71, and now comes the film that will introduce a wider audience to his very special talent. While 2014 wasn't rounded off for the Derby man with a Golden Globe nomination for Unbroken (the film, bizarrely, received none), you should make the time to see his work here - and a few more reasons besides.
Based on Laura Hillenbrand's best-selling book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption, Unbroken tells the true story of Louis Zamperini (O'Connell), an Olympic athlete who joined the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and was imprisoned in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp after his plane crashed. There, he became the focus of prison guard Mutsuhiro 'The Bird' Watanabe's (Miyavi) rage.
Christmas seems a strange time to release a film with such heavy scenes as Unbroken, but then again its message of hope and aim to promote healing chime perfectly with this time of year. Its no-show on the Golden Globes shortlist may affect the number of people who see it in the run-up to the Oscar nominations, but anyone who does should conclude that Angelina Jolie has a real future behind the lens.
While Jolie still has things to learn - some backstory here is slow, the ending is rushed - Unbroken shows she can handle action and drama with real confidence, her approach recalling her Changeling director Clint Eastwood in places. She can also get the best out of her actors: apart from O'Connell's journey from gabby and wide-eyed to near-feral and silent as Zamperini, Domhnall Gleeson is also excellent as his co-pilot, while singer-turned-actor Miyavi makes a hugely impressive screen debut as 'The Bird' and avoids the temptation of making the character more monster than man. Hopefully, this won't be a one-off for him.
The finished film received Zamperini's blessing before his passing in July 2014 aged 97, and after watching his story reading Hillenbrand's book has moved up the priority list. As has any Blu-ray or DVD commentary from Jolie: by her own admission, she had to fight to be allowed direct the film but, just like Zamperini, she refused to give in. Whether you're an A-lister or punter in a cinema, his message has the same power, and Jolie's most commendable achievement here is that more people will now be inspired by it and him.
4/5
