Flight - A-

Rated R, 139 minutes

Washington’s brilliant performance the highlight of the heavy “Flight”


Denzel Washington

The darkly entertaining new Robert Zemeckis drama “Flight” that succeeds due to the brililantly towering performance of its lead, Denzel Washington in one of his best performances in years as an alcoholic, substance-abuse prone pilot. Zemeckis, Oscar-winning director of “Forrest Gump,” returns to his first strictly live-action drama in a dozen years (since the Tom Hanks drama “Cast Away”), and it's a gritty character study that's sure to net Oscar-winner Washington more accolades for his most complex role in years. Washington plays pilot Whip Whitaker, a pilot who becomes the subject of an investigation after an amazing emergency landing and crash that saves many on board. Whitaker, who has struggled with alcohol and chemical dependency for years, becomes a target when the investigation team, including a pilot rep (Bruce Greenwood) and an attorney (Don Cheadle), learn he had alcohol and drugs in his system at the time of the accident, a discovery that could that him in prison. The internal struggle of “Flight” makes for heavy but engaging, poignant viewing, with both Zemeckis and Washington, who make for a fine cinematic team, at the top of their game. Washington, as the pilot with some clear issues, carries the slightly overlong film in a great, nuanced turn, yet he’s ably supported by Cheadle, Greenwood, British TV actress Kelly Reilly, Oscar-winner Melissa Leo (in what amounts to a cameo) and in the film’s flashiest role, John Goodman, who pops in and out in a memorable role as one of Whitaker’s enablers. Though it’s weighty, dark subject matter, John Gatins’ tight script is more optimistic in the last act, but it also reflects the honesty of the character, which is a refreshing change. Zemeckis, who’s been directing performance capture/animated films over the last decade, shows his skill for strictly live-action and dramatic, though his technical prowess comes in handy in the thrilling plane crash at the beginning of the film. It goes on a tad too long, but the vastly entertaining “Flight” is a must-see and it’s certainly one of the best of the year.

Wes’s Grade: A-