The 15:17 to Paris (2018)

“I don’t know, ma’am. I just didn’t want my family finding out that I died hiding under a table. ” – Spencer Stone

Number of Times Seen – 1 (7 Jun 2018)

Brief Synopsis – Three childhood friends on a trip through Europe end up on a train with a terrorist.

My Take on it – I have always been a fan of Clint Eastwood’s films especially the ones that he has chosen to direct.

This film was suppose to be a “filler” while he was in between other projects.

The idea to portray this true story with the use of non-actors along with professional actors was a great one because it allows us to get the feeling that everything that’s happening isn’t necessarily planned ahead of time because the characters seem real and genuine since we know that they are not actors by trade.

The suspense level is cranked quite high which helps keep things even more interesting and intriguing the entire time.

The story is set up great by Eastwood who subtly hints to us numerous clues along the way yet still keeps things interesting because we don’t actually know what will transpire through every step of the journey.

The story is presented in a way that we easily get the feel of who these characters are because since we get to see some of their history and childhood it gives us a much better understanding of who they are and what they aspire to do in life.

This is the kind of movie that is probably best watched without much (or any) prior knowledge of the events taking place in order to help keep things quiet suspenseful.

Bottom Line – Great idea to use the real people who were a part of this story instead of actors because it helps add to the feeling of things being more spontaneous and genuine.  Eastwood does a great job setting up the story by subtly hinting to things every step of the way. Loved the way that we get a true feel for who these characters are because the story has them grow up right before our eyes. Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – The first person to tackle the terrorist on the train was a Frenchman. He later turned down the Légion d’honneur and asked to remain anonymous because he feared reprisals from other Islamists living in France. (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy (8/10)

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