Flight

Based on the trailers for "Flight," I was expecting a investigative procedural film. Denzel Washington plays a pilot who manages to crash land a plane with a minimal loss of lives, a feat everyone agrees no other pilot could probably accomplish. But evidence that he was intoxicated while flying the plane emerges and instead of a hero who saved lives, he becomes a possible felon who caused the crash in the first place.

But the film isn't interested in the investigation. Instead, this is a film about an alcoholic and the rock-bottom journey he goes on that leads him to face his addictive demons. I've never been a huge Washington fan, but he does pretty tremendous work here. This also feels like surprisingly grown-up material for director Robert Zemeckis, who's most known for treacly stuff like "Forrest Gump." My major complaint about the film is that it's far too long. An entire subplot that gives Washington a nominal love interest in the form of a fellow addict could have been cut from the film entirely -- and a good half hour with it -- without any significant impact.

I don't know that I would heartily recommend this film for any reason other than the excellent performance of Washington.

Grade: B+

Trailers might lead you to believe this is a film about flying. Or about an amazing flying feat. But it is all about the lead character, Captain "Whip" Whitaker (Denzel Washington), a man who is a pilot and an alcoholic. The flying and a terrible crash provide background for the story of this man, who has struggled with his illness for years.

In many ways the story is not that original. We have seen numerous stories about alcoholics and heard real-life testimonies of the behaviors that accompany alcoholism, and this film tracks with all of them.

It is worth seeing for the brilliant portrayal of Captain Whitaker and the performances of the other actors in the film. Some parts are difficult to watch because the acting is so engaging.

I also think the film raises some interesting questions that some viewers may not be willing to acknowledge. If one is an alcoholic, is the entire worth of that man nothing more than what his sickness drags him down to? Are we what we do? Can we rise above our neuroses or our worst behaviors? Often we see public figures condemned in media for indiscretions or harmful acts; is that, then, the measure of the man or woman?

The film, even if judged solely for its dramatic content, is worth seeing.

Washington gives what is nothing less than a performance of a lifetime in this tension filled film dealing with a pilot wrestling with inner demons. The aviation sequences are stunning and the crash one of the most breathtaking ever filmed. The director is highly gifted and his skill and passion are clearly evident. The script is superb, with intelligent plotting and sharp dialog that captures reality. It is, once again, Washington who shines here above all else. His power as an actor is what truly gives this movies its fire. His portrayal of a substance abusing addict/alcoholic is painful to watch because of the humanity he brings to the part. It is a tremendous accomplishment and one of the finest studies of addiction ever filmed.

All the way until the ending I was eating this up. "Flight" is a tense, character-driven drama about a heroic pilot who averts an epic disaster only to be caught in the crosshairs of a long, ugly investigation of his life. It presents a highly complex story, weaving themes of heroism vs. arrogance, good intentions vs. bad results, and bad intentions vs. good results. For 80% of the film, "Flight" is on par with the greatest character studies since "12 Angry Men". However, be prepared for a less than fitting ending, or at best an ending that was rushed so quickly that it leaves you wondering "did we miss an entire scene where the ghosts of Christmas past, present & future showed up?"

That's the only negative I have, although it's a big one. For the rest of my review I'll focus on the positives. The biggest positive is, of course, Denzel Washington as pilot "Whip Whittaker". He certainly doesn't disappoint. The role is a challenging one: a man whose personal life is a disaster even though his professional life is spotless. His professional arrogance leads him to deny the failure of his personal life, and this is the conflict that makes the film riveting.

Although this film is squarely about him, there were some peripheral characters who really added to the pot. British actress Kelly Reilley pulls of a convincing southern accent (though southern sticklers may spot it as more "Alabama" than "Georgia" haha) and more importantly gives us insight into the mind of a damaged person who is genuinely trying to better herself, unlike our hero who denies his faults. Another great character, though minimal, is John Goodman who shows up as a bizarre, surrealistic "fixer" and adds tremendous color and humor to the show. The attorney for Whip Whittaker is excellently played by Don Cheadle who balances slick legal professionalism with utter frustration at his client's self-sabotaging acts.

Even the action scenes were incredibly done, using a full sized commercial jet cut into sections and hoisted up on a weird contraption that made it flip around for the cameras. This is a first class production from start to finish.

It only falls shy of monumental because of its Zemeckisy ending, a trademark of many 80s directors like Spielberg and Ron Howard where everything has to be neatly tied up in a bundle with a moral ending, even if it seems out of left field considering the characters' personality. But that's just my opinion and the reason why I docked "Flight" a few points. You may find it perfect. Regardless I think everyone can agree that most of the film is phenomenal.

"Flight" hinges on one question, but before I get to the question we have to set the stage.

Captain William "Whip" Whitaker (Denzel Washington), a commercial pilot, spent a night of boozing, snorting, and sex with a flight attendant. The next morning he had a flight out of Florida to Atlanta with a manifest of 102 persons. The weather was extremely rough upon take off, but not enough to ground the flight. Whip deftly maneuvered through the storm then the flight was relatively smooth after that, so Whip slept. Somewhere over Georgia the plane experienced mechanical problems and went into a nose dive. With the utmost calmness Whip pulled yet one more set of maneuvers to land the plane with minimal loss of life. Six people did die, but it could've been so much worse.

Whip's lawyer, Hugh Lang (Don Cheadle), did some maneuvering of his own and had Whip's toxicology report suppressed. The NTSB, after an extensive investigation, found that Whip performed outstandingly. They attempted with simulators to have other experienced pilots land Flight 227 and they all failed. Whip was a hero. So then, here's the question:

Was Captain Whitaker's inebriated state a matter of importance with him flying that day?

Whip was an incorrigible drunk, but a functional one after a few lines of cocaine. His problem ruined his marriage, his relationship with his son, and was threatening his freedom. It was an unshakable factor throughout the movie and one that would cause you to shake your head in pity as well as embarrassment for him.

What makes "Flight" a good movie is the question I posed because how many people in society are functioning addicts or alcoholics? I just watched "Puncture" with Chris Evans who played an addict lawyer who was superb at his job as long as he was high. Such people exist.

Flight was a top tier production with awesome performances from the likes of Denzel (naturally), John Goodman, Don Cheadle, and Bruce Greenwood. The production and acting helped make the movie standout, but the plot itself and the central question it poses makes it what it is.