Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Staring: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman
The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. The film focuses on the relationship between the Alabama’s commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks), and the Somali pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), who takes him hostage. Hanks and Abdi didn’t meet until they were in their first scene together, with the cameras rolling. This direction gives the film a very real feel which certainly draws the audience in and keeps you engrossed from the opening scenes to the credit roll.