Trending on Netflix: Review of Flight

Flight follows the tumultuous journey of Captain Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) during the federal investigation of a plane crash that happened under his command. Whitaker performed a miracle landing as the plane catastrophically failed in midair. The problem? He was drunk and high on coke while flying. The movie traces his dealings with addiction, religion, and integrity while he navigates through the turbulent investigation.

Washington’s performance ranks amongst his career best. It should have resulted in his second Best Actor Academy award, but Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance in Lincoln overtook him. Washington perfectly illustrates Whitaker’s failure to admit that he has already crashed to rock bottom. The self-justification and denial with constant attempts to correct course is masterfully brought to screen. The attempts to continue his libertine lifestyle under the lens of federal scrutiny creates a character that is impossible to miss.

Surprisingly, this is the first movie to reunite Denzel Washington and John Goodman since 1998’s Fallen. Although Fallen flopped in the box office, it was a great movie, and the two actors seemed to work fluidly together. This movie is no different even though Goodman’s character Harling Mays has limited screen time as Whitaker’s longtime friend and drug dealer. I desperately wanted there to be more scenes with the two characters; however, it is easy to see how this would have taken away from the film’s overall tone.

The character roller coaster of Whitaker drives this film with a fantastic realism. The glorious highs and agonizing lows of an addict unwilling to get help illicit many topics of self-introspection. Sadly, Flight fails to close out many of the topics that it broaches. Religion, or Whitaker’s lack of faith, is brought up repeatedly only to have no meaningful conclusion. It is almost forgotten in the ending. Also, Whitaker’s transformation is slammed into gear with little progression towards growth. Without spoiling a ten-year-old movie, the ending felt forced and failed to bring the strong emotional conclusion that was built up throughout the movie.

Despite the abrupt and frankly disappointing ending, this movie needs to be watched. Seeing as it was a box office success and garnered the attention of the Academy, my vote of confidence is unneeded. The fact that I missed out on this one for so long is unfortunate, but thankfully, Netflix recommended it. This should have been an easy choice for me though. Robert Zemeckis has directed many of my favorite movies. Honestly, the list is quite impressive for a director who doesn’t get the same recognition as many other highly touted talents. Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump, and Castaway all rank highly on my list. Couple this with a great cast and Flight is an easy choice.

Overall, Flight provides a thought-provoking dive into a man who is a heroic disaster. Tension fills this movie in the best ways. From the crazy, passenger saving maneuvers in the opening sequence to the constant self-destructing behavior that alienates everyone who surrounds Captain Whitaker, Flight creates a great watching experience. I still feel like it misses on the ending; however, this movie is solid B+.