When a flight to Atlanta crashes in a field, Captain “Whip” Whitaker (Denzel Washington) gets credit for saving so many lives… but a toxicology screen at the hospital shows that he was drunk. Robert Zemeckis’s first non-animated film in 12 years is a compelling drama about alcoholism anchored by a very strong performance by Washington and a supporting cast that includes Kelly Reilly as a fellow addict and John Goodman as a colorful dealer. This skillfully directed study of one man’s struggle against the inevitable also portrays the plane crash in harrowingly spectacular fashion, and the last half-hour swings impressively between moments that are tragicomical and moving.
2012-U.S. 138 min. Color. Widescreen. Produced by Robert Zemeckis, Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Screenplay: John Gatins. Cast: Denzel Washington (William “Whip” Whitaker), Don Cheadle (Hugh Lang), Kelly Reilly (Nicole Maggen), John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, Melissa Leo.
Trivia:Â Olivia Wilde was allegedly considered for a part.
Last word: “This was an adventure. First of all, like I said, starting with the screenplay in collaboration with the filmmaker, getting the chance to fly around in these MD-80 flight simulators, hanging upside down in a plane, playing a drunk. I’m not going to say it was easy. Maybe a painful scene – I don’t know if it’s painful – but this scene when I go to my ex-wife’s house and get into this wrestling match with my son. You know, I’ve gotten into wrestling matches with my son in not quite the same circumstance, but it’s just raw. Your nerves are raw. So that sticks out.” (Washington, Collider)
