Flight (2012)

An airline pilot saves almost all his passengers on his malfunctioning airliner which eventually crashed, but an investigation into the accident reveals something troubling.

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writer:

John Gatins

Stars:

Denzel Washington, Nadine Velazquez, Don Cheadle

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 43 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nadine Velazquez	...	Katerina Marquez
Denzel Washington	...	Whip Whitaker
Carter Cabassa	...	Son on Plane
Adam C. Edwards	...	Father on Plane (as Adam Ciesielski)
Tamara Tunie	...	Margaret Thomason
Brian Geraghty	...	Ken Evans
Kelly Reilly	...	Nicole
Conor O'Neill	...	Kip
Charlie E. Schmidt	...	Tiki Pot (as Charlie E. Schmidt Jr.)
Will Sherrod	...	Schecter
Boni Yanagisawa	...	Camelia Satou
Adam Tomei	...	Fran
Dane Davenport	...	Derek Hogue
John Crow	...	Field Reporter
Bruce Greenwood	...	Charlie Anderson

Storyline

Whip Whitaker is a commuter airline pilot. While on a flight from Orlando to Atlanta something goes wrong and the plane starts to fly erratically. With little choice Whip crashes the plane and saves almost all on board. When he wakes up in the hospital, his friend from the airline union introduces him to a lawyer who tells him there's a chance he could face criminal charges because his blood test reveals that he was intoxicated with alcohol and cocaine. He denies being impaired, so while an investigation is underway, he is told to keep his act together. However, letting go of his addiction is not as easy as it seems...

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Plot Keywords:

stewardess | alcoholism | pilot | lawyer | alcoholic | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug and alcohol abuse, language, sexuality/nudity and an intense action sequence

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Denzel Washington, American company Delta Air Lines granted the production team access to their official flight simulator, in order to learn some of the most common maneuvers pilots have to master in order to fly a commercial plane.

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Goofs

From the farm porch cattle seen in the distance instantly move from the fence to the tree line.

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Quotes

Whip: There's whole lot of people out there whose mothers die and they don't fucking drink.
Nicole: You are sick, Whip.
Whip: Yeah, well, I embrace it, shit! I choose to drink.
Nicole: You do?
Whip: Yes, I do.
Nicole: You choose it? Well, I don't see a whole lot of choice going on here!
Whip: I choose to drink! And I blame myself! I am happy to! And you know why? Because I choose to drink! I got an ex-wife and a son I never talk to! And you know why? Because I choose to drink!

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Connections

References High Road to China (1983)

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Soundtracks

Never Get Out of These Blues Alive
Written by John Lee Hooker
Performed by John Lee Hooker featuring Van Morrison
John Lee Hooker courtesy of Geffen Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Van Morrison courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc.
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User Reviews

Can a man be both hero and criminal?

Trailers might lead you to believe this is a film about flying. Or about an amazing flying feat. But it is all about the lead character, Captain "Whip" Whitaker (Denzel Washington), a man who is a pilot and an alcoholic. The flying and a terrible crash provide background for the story of this man, who has struggled with his illness for years.

In many ways the story is not that original. We have seen numerous stories about alcoholics and heard real-life testimonies of the behaviors that accompany alcoholism, and this film tracks with all of them.

It is worth seeing for the brilliant portrayal of Captain Whitaker and the performances of the other actors in the film. Some parts are difficult to watch because the acting is so engaging.

I also think the film raises some interesting questions that some viewers may not be willing to acknowledge. If one is an alcoholic, is the entire worth of that man nothing more than what his sickness drags him down to? Are we what we do? Can we rise above our neuroses or our worst behaviors? Often we see public figures condemned in media for indiscretions or harmful acts; is that, then, the measure of the man or woman?

The film, even if judged solely for its dramatic content, is worth seeing.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA United Arab Emirates

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Flight

Filming Locations:

Atlanta First United Methodist Church - 360 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$31,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,900,566, 4 November 2012

Gross USA:

$93,772,375

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$161,772,375

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, ImageMovers, Parkes/MacDonald Image Nation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

138 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Datasat Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1