Director Paul Greengrass based his biopic Captain Phillips on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea, co-written by protagonist Richard Phillips himself. Both the book and the film relate the story of the 2009 hijacking of a United States container ship traveling near the Somali coast. The ship’s leader, Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks), attempts to negotiate with the young pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), and the film follows Phillips both on the large ship as he tries to protect his crew and onto a cramped lifeboat as he is taken hostage and held for ransom. As always, details from the true story have been omitted in the interest of cinema, but actor Hanks claims that all of the events that the film does depict are true and that the main themes from the book have been retained.
Undoubtedly, one of this year’s biggest Academy Awards snubs comes in the form of the lack of an Actor in a Lead Role nomination for the incredible Tom Hanks. With this film, Hanks reminds the audience yet again why he is the powerhouse actor that he has become. His performance is raw, real, and, especially at the conclusion, powerfully emotional. Hanks knows how to hold back and utilize subtlety, and instead of presenting Phillips as a grand hero, he allows him to remain the brave everyman that he is. Although the year was a strong one for male actors, I can easily see where room could have been made in this category for Hanks. Debut actor Barkhad Abdi did receive a nomination for Actor in a Supporting Role, an exciting development for a young man with no prior acting experience and a testament to his raw talent and ability. Captain Phillips also received nominations in the Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Adapted Screenplay, and, of course, Best Picture categories. With no Direction nomination for Paul Greengrass, however, a win in the latter category is highly unlikely, although not out of the question.
Captain Phillips is a biopic that presents tense action, raw filming, and shockingly real acting performances. The film feels authentic, almost like a documentary, and the tale that it relates depicts both sides of the story as opposed to simply demonizing the marginalized group. It is unfortunate that Hanks was ignored, as his performance is a major part of what makes this film as successful as it is. However, this snub should not diminish the recognition that the film did deservedly receive, especially that given to a fresh and exciting newcomer on the acting scene.
