Flight: A Tragic Journey That Only Begins With a Plane

Flight is a powerful drama from director Robert Zemeckis (Castaway, Forest Gump) that tackles much more than simply a tragic plane crash.  While this is certainly a major and deeply thrilling theme in the film, Flight is far more focused on an even deeper, uncontrolled calamity, in the form of heart-wrenching addiction.  This journey, this dissent into madness and self-ruin is griping and its story will stay with viewers well after the credits.

Premise: After a tragic plane crash, Captain Whip Whitaker undergoes self-destruction as he attempts to keep his addiction secret during the investigation. Result: A raw, moving story that will keep audiences glued to their seats.

The film begins with a not-so-subtle introduction to Captain Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) and his life of addiction: a pretty young woman, flight attendant Katerina Marquez (Nadine Velazquez), some half-empty beers and a few lines of cocaine.  However, despite the awful weather, it seems like just any ordinary day for Captain Addinctingtons.

But it is not long before disaster strikes and some mechanical malfunction takes hold of the plane, forcing Captain Whitaker to literally awaken from his slumber to somehow manage the plane to a miraculous (and extremely exhilarating) crash landing.  While audiences will be aware of his intoxication (he actually is drinking on the plane as well), he is cool and collected under pressure and at one point inverts the aircraft to minimize their uncontrolled descent.  Somehow, his efforts are hair-thin short of miraculous and there are only six casualties rather than complete catastrophe that would have claimed all 100+ on board.

The film follows the investigation into the crash but mainly via the lens of Whitaker’s addiction.  While Union President Charlie Anderson (Bruce Greenwood) and the Union’s attorney High Lang (Don Cheadle) are desperate to prevent further disaster should Whitaker’s shortcomings be discovered, Whitatker, on his end, is completely unable to deal with the stress of his loneliness and the thought that he might be scapegoated for the crash. He believes himself to be innocent of any wrongdoing and that had it not been for his efforts, all would certainly be dead.

But there is much to do about fate in this film and while recovering in the hospital, he meets another recovering addict in Nicole (Kelly Reilly). He falls for her but resists her attempts to clean his life up as well.  As they continue their disastrous relationship, he only worsens plunging deeper and deeper into a life of complete, mortifying lack of control and absurd self-destruction.  And as the investigation by NTSB inspector Ellen Block (Melissa Leo) deepens, Whitaker’s instability reaches an all-time low.

It is at this time that he further alienates his ex-wife and son, who despise him, and now only sense his complicity in the disaster while his only allies, his attorney and Charlie, are driven to distraction by his antics.  Aided only by his dealer Harling Mays (John Goodman), it is not long before his route to self-ruin is realized.

Zemeckis is masterful at stressing the key aspects of Whitaker’s demons, articulating each moment of madness as a pathetic, illogical, self-destructive event that is so drastic that it will leave observers traumatized.  The moral dilemma that Whitaker confronts is not black and white: while he is certainly guilty of putting the passengers and crew in danger with his intoxication, there is little question that had it not been for his efforts, more would have died.

And further, if in fact, his drunkenness was not the cause of the crash yet his efforts were the cause of lives saved, what obligation does he have to come clean?  Even his First Officer Ken Evans (Brian Geraghty) and Flight attendant Margaret Thomason (Tamara Tunie), while convinced of his intoxication, believe that it was his efforts that saved their lives.

The acting in this film is top flight, leading from Washington in what will no doubt become a signature performance.  He is real, vulnerable, and damaged in a manner so effectively displayed that it harkens back to his turn as belligerent slave in Glory. He is the core of this film and at no point is there any doubt that a performance masterpiece is taking hold before audience eyes.

Goodman, for his end, is perfect, bringing a lightness to the dark through a stunning comedic performance.  It is Goodman at his best since The Big Lebowski. Cheadle and Greenwood are also spectacular, although their roles are far more understated.  Geraghty and Tunie, despite relatively brief appearances, hit home the emotions needed perfectly, rounding out the cast.

And Reilly gives an understated but powerful performance throughout, demonstrating a rare vulnerability. Leo, despite a brief cameo, steals the show as a rigid, effective agent whose stare could freeze a raging fire.

Overall, Flight is a fantastic film.  While it does border an absurdity and its events on the aircraft somewhat suspect, it delivers the impact needed and the story that provides both sadness and struggle mixed with hope and rebirth.

Rating: 8 – An expensive red wine and juicy steak