Flight

Flight appears to be a film about a talented pilot, whose quick thinking and steadfast nerve single handedly saves the lives of his passengers during an inexplicable failure. The trailer hints towards the presence of alcohol in his system, and investigators predatorily focus on this fact, rather than on the lives saved by his ability. The focus seems to be his persecution, and tireless examination of his personal life, searching for a demon in a saint. That’s what I expected when I walked into Flight. As the reader may be able to tell by this point, that is in fact, not the case at all. Flight is a study into addiction, the affliction, and what lengths an addict will go to in denial of their condition. The prices paid, the lengths reached, and the utter helplessness in the condition.

I will go into detail on some plot points of the film, for those that have not seen it; be warned. Flight begins as our pilot, William Whitaker, prepares for his next trip. A beautiful, nude woman accompanies him; there are empty bottles of alcohol strewn about the hotel room, full ashtrays clutter the desk. Our captain receives a call, which is soon revealed to be his estranged ex-wife. During this call, the female companion smokes marijuana as she gets dressed, padding about the room after her clothes. The call completes, and he partakes in the drug, as well as a line of cocaine, and so our stage is set. Concurrently with the events that lead to the ultimate crash of “Southjet flight 227”, we’re introduced to Nicole, a woman obviously struggling with her own addictions, as she halfheartedly seeks out her next fix.

“Black Box, say ‘I love you’ ”

Then, the crash: with a running total of just over seven minutes from the first issues to the final touch to the ground; this sequence alone is worth the price of admission. The performances, the visuals and the sounds (the stunning silence of the engine failure is particularly poignant) are a masterpiece performance of every person involved in its production. The emotional investment from the combined actions of the pilot, crew and passengers, as well as the few pieces of unrestrained humanity are simply amazing, so much so I could not, in good conscience, spoil them for anyone who has not seen the film.

The remainder of the film surrounds the investigations into the ultimate cause of the crash, and the varied addictions of Captain Whitaker. Again and again we see him fall victim to his own weaknesses and denials, as it pushes him further into seclusion and persecution from those around him. The complaint I have with this is not in the message directly (more on this later), but in its amateurish repetition. Flight carries an all-star cast, the writing is amazing, but the method in which the message is delivered like a made-for-TV movie, where our addict secedes, again and again for obvious pitfalls. I’m familiar with addiction, and have seen its effects on those that are afflicted by it. Here, it feels as if its writers are not personally familiar enough with addiction to give a believable representation of it. This is extremely disappointing, after how strongly the film started. By the conclusion of the third act, the message feels pandered. Flight plays like a simplistic roller coaster; an amazing climb with a stunning first fall that never twists or turns for the remainder.

“Death demands responsibility”

Lastly, an umbrage I carried with the film: as the it progresses into its third act, and our subject has fallen for his last transgression, the addictions that have haunted him throughout the film are treated as the only functional method to revive him. Every message we’re given in the film about the demons of chemical dependency are completely voided as street narcotics are used to make him functional. This even brings into question whether he would have been able to perform the amazing feats that lead to the rescue of his airline without the clarity and speed of the cocaine that he consumed prior, the use of the same drugs that damn our pilot become his savior. This causes a cheapened, disingenuous dichotomy in the finalé of the third act. Whitaker’s ultimate redemption is not an addictive “bottom” that he reaches; instead it’s simply a matter of conscience that rescues him. Conscience that could have affected him at any point prior, saving many relationships and lives, but ultimately wouldn’t function as a positive message for the film.

These weaknesses aside, Flight is a strong film. The performances alone carry it, unfortunately, the portrayal feels inauthentic, or possibly, it comes from someone who is so passionate in their message that they’re willing to distort the reality of the experience, without giving it the respect it deserves. Flight, starring Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Don Cheadle Kelly Reilly, and Bruce Greenwood is currently nominated by the Academy Awards in two categories: Best Actor for the dazzling performance by Denzel Washington, and Best Screenplay, by John Gatins. Flight will be released on DVD and Blu-ray Tuesday, February 5th.