Sully (2016)
Rated PG-13
Starring Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Valerie Mahaffey, Mike O'Malley, Katie Couric
Directed by Clint Eastwood
The Story:
In 2009, a plane carrying 155 passengers and crew was hit by a massive bird strike after take off, disabling both engines. The captain (Hanks) made a decision to force a water landing on the Hudson River as he felt there was not enough time and power in the plane to make it to any of the neighboring airports. Everyone survived the "Miracle on the Hudson". However, as with all crashes, an investigation was underway, and the panel was determined to prove that Sully acted recklessly and could have indeed landed at an airport.
File this one under miraculous true story.
The movie starts with a bang, and never truly lets up.
Yet it is also paced just slow enough to not feel rushed.
Eastwood has settled in so comfortably behind the camera, and his films are usually quiet, yet emotionally impacting, and this one is no different.
The movie uses creative choices for flashbacks to fill you in on the narrative of Sully's life, so it doesn't unfold like a biography.
It helps to build towards the finale when all of the pieces of Sully's life and upbringing come into play when he makes the decision for a water landing, eschewing the normal protocol of turning back or heading to the other neighboring airports.
It will all come down to the mock flight tests that are performed to decide whether Sully gets to continue his aviation career, or if he is grounded, even though he saved everyone on board.
Final Grade: A-
