There are truly only a handful of great directors. I don't necessarily mean great in the sense that they consistently make good movies, but I'm talking directors who have defined generations. Scorsese is the master of the gangster flick (sorry Francis Ford Coppola fans). Spielberg knows how to successfully do big-budget without looking like a complete tool. Tarantino turned mundane conversation into film prestige. Lucas, well... I'd rather not touch that one right now. Each of these directors have something in common-- their ability to make a single movie-going experience into something long-lasting and generationally distinguished. I truly believe Robert Zemeckis belongs with these directors. Where would we be without Back to the Future? What would we watch at 3:00 in the afternoon on a Saturday on TBS when they've already shown The Shawshank Redemption six consecutive times in a row? Or what life lessons would have been eschewed from Forrest Gump in the hands of a less capable director? Zemeckis is a film staple that, unfortunately, for the last ten years was unable to fulfill his directorial expectations. He left the world of live-action films to pursue a new technology giving us three unexceptional movies-- The Polar Express, Beowulf, A Christmas Carol-- instead of doing what he does best. Third time was not a charm, Bob. Take the hint.
And it appears as though he did. Robert Zemeckis returns to form with his first live-action film since Castaway. Flight stars Denzel Washington as airline pilot Captain "Whip" Whitaker, who through years of experience of being the best pilot to ever live, crash lands a malfunctioning plane safely saving the lives of nearly everyone on board. He's automatically hailed as a hero until it is discovered that he had a significant amount of alcohol and cocaine in his blood during the crash. With the public looking for someone to blame for the incident, this does not bode well for Whip. This portion of the film takes up nearly the first half. The rest of the film is an intense character study about an alcoholic unwilling and unable to admit to his addiction. Don Cheadle is a lawyer brought in by the airline to defend Whip and somehow get around his tox scan. But, as the film progresses we see that Whip has absolutely no control over his addiction and falls deeper and deeper into the alcoholic rabbit hole.
The film may be a bit misleading in the previews. One might expect a harrowing mystery thriller about a pilot crash-landing a plane in a most unorthodox way and the outsiders looking for a concrete reason to put him away for good. However, what plays out is much darker and much more character driven than one might expect and I found this to be refreshing. I like it when a movie defies my expectations in a good way. But, this movie, my devout readers, is the Denzel show all the way. Denzel usually falls into a character pattern in which he plays the same character in each movie he's in. Unlike other less-talented actors who fall into this same pit, Denzel is fantastic at it. Whether he's a villian or the unlikely hero, you always know what to expect from him. He's always the same guy and we love him for it. Flight shows us acting chops we knew Denzel has, but doesn't reveal most of the time. As Whip, we can see the progression from bad to worse. He knows how to subtly and explicitly portray a man so deep in his alcoholism you can't even feel pity for him.
I personally believe this is some of the best acting I've seen from Denzel Washington since Training Day. There are many layers to Whip that Denzel reveals when he feels is necessary. We can see into the soul of a disturbed human being and it's not what you would call pleasing to see. He's a man who goes to a funeral only to make sure one of the flight attendants doesn't testify wrongly on his behalf. He's despicable, yet there's a certain empathy you can feel for him. I would nominate him in a second, but unfortunately, I have a sneaking suspicion that his performance will be sadly overlooked.
John Goodman plays Whip's drug dealer and steals nearly every single scene he's in. He's almost channeling his Walter character from The Big Lebowski just with less PTSD and external rage. He lightens the mood for just a bit even in scenes that for all intents and purposes should be very uncomfortable and difficult to watch. Though the film runs about twenty minutes too long, Flight is still one of the best movies I've seen this year. And, though it may not be exactly what you'd expect, it still delivers on what you want. It keeps the tension high. Throughout. Whether it's the terrifying plane crash (which you know is effective when you're fully aware he's going to land it safely, but you're still clutching your seat) or Whip staring at a bottle of vodka with nothing but temptation in his eyes. It's a great movie that will be overlooked come awards season, but shouldn't be overlooked while it's still available to enjoy in theaters.
A-
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