Flight (2012)

[Mutagen]

I saw this yesterday and Denzel was phenomenal. Totally phenomenal. Oscar nomination material for sure without feeling completely baity. Nice to see Tamara Tunie in a good role as well. And yes, the plane crash sequence is riveting. I'm scheduled to fly on Thanksgiving and this movie just confirmed I'm going to need to be doped out of my mind...

The movie as a whole had some significant weaknesses, to my mind. Not enough Cheadle and a lot of Nicole's subplot could've been trimmed; also the monologue by Cancer Guy in the stairwell had some decent points but was a little heavy handed. I was alternately jarred and appreciative of some of the religious themes.

Still, as a character study it's great, and again, Denzel.

[GoldenFleece]

I enjoyed it as I watched and thought Denzel gave a strong performance, but the more I've thought about it, the more issues I have:

John Goodman rocked his scenes but they felt like they belonged in a different movie.

Was I supposed to take the part with the *co-pilot and his wife seriously? They were over the top and there was laughter in the theater during her "praise Jesus" bit. I didn't mind that there were religious elements but I don't feel like they really delivered in the end.*

Speaking of the ending, I thought it was *a cop-out to have Whip confess at the hearing. He's coked to the gills, he's going to skate free, and suddenly he's like George Washington with the cherry tree? C'mon. It would have been a more interesting if he'd just lied and had to live with guilt. Hated the final scene with the son.*

Why would Whip *be left alone in a hotel room the night before his hearing? They babysit him for days and the night before they're good leaving him without a chaperone?* Okay.

What happened with *the romance with Nicole? I thought it began abruptly and was unnecessary, but since it was there, they might as well have shown a scene of them getting back together. I think I would have rather seen more between Whip and Katerina, given how the story turned out, but I guess it was supposed to be a surprise that Whip felt enough affection for her not to just throw her under the bus to save himself. *

The music choices were really not imaginative at all. It was like every song you've heard in other movies/trailers a thousand times already.

I don't mind nude scenes but it would be nice if they were more equitable.

[Mutagen]

GoldenFleece, some of the musical cues drove me crazy too.

I was torn, like I said, about the religious scenes. The scene with the co-pilot and his wife was nuts, but given that the movie was set in the Bible Belt (Atlanta!) I think it would've been remiss not to have some hardcore Christians represented, and I liked that there were several flavors of devout Christianity at that. I don't know if that scene was THE most accurate way to do so, but boy, I've sat through some impromptu sermons IRL that were just as uncomfortable. So I don't know.

Overall, I appreciate that <<while Christianity/God was presented as a valid option for several characters, it wasn't presented as "find Jesus and everything will instantly be OK!", which at a certain point I began to dread would be the message of the movie.>>

[bklynred]

I thought the ending was a little too tidy for the reasons GoldenFleece stated above. But I loved this movie overall. I felt like I was on a roller coaster the first 20 minutes and my stomach was clenched, I was nauseous--and I LOVE flying. The most interesting bits of religion for me were <<<cancer boy and the plane literally crashing a baptism.>>> Wake-up call, anyone?

My theater gasped and groaned every time the character had a moral lapse...clearly these people don't <<<know alcoholics. I saw it with a social worker, so neither of us were fazed every time he reached for the bottle. Even his addiction wasn't over the top to me; the hardcore drinkers drive drunk, drink whatever they can get their hands on, and of COURSE can't stop without help. My main issue: did he detox at his friend's house? Otherwise, he should've had the DTs back at the hospital.>>>

[cinnacism]

Yes! My packed audience kept murmuring collectively when that happened, too, and I was thinking to myself, "How is this shocking?" It was like I was at a really, really predictable horror movie where most of the other viewers were somehow beguiled.

It was cool, though, that it caused that sort of vocal unease and cringing.

[bklynred]

I had a relative who was functioning--she had 2-3 drinks before she went to work sucking on mints. Never missed a day, but loaded to the gills before 10 am.

eta: I was also pleasantly surprised by Tamara Tunie. She was great in the role too. "I've known you ELEVEN YEARS, Whip..."

[Mutagen]

Haha! I was totally one of the groaners/gaspers. Your comparison to a horror movie is a good one. Even knowing full well that it's coming, you still instinctively go "NOOO STOP" when the guy walks into the empty, creepy basement alone.

Idk, I had an alcoholic in my family (passed on, sadly) and I think the movie did a nice job of presenting how they can really sometimes get their shit together well enough to fool you into relaxing, and then... bang. You know you shouldn't believe it, but you want to. Denzel did a really great job of that.