Flight (2012) * * * 1/2

 

Directed by:  Robert Zemeckis

Starring:  Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, Brian Geraghty, Kelly Reilly

Experienced pilot Whip Whitaker (Washington) pulls a plane out of a nosedive by flipping it upside down and instead of the entire plane perishing in a horrific crash, six people are killed in a maneuver and relatively soft crash that nearly a dozen pilots could not duplicate in simulations.   Whip made the right call and did the best thing possible under harrowing circumstances.   One big problem:  Whip was hung over after a three-day bender involving copious amounts of drugs and drink.   He is an alcoholic, but he isn't ready to admit that yet or do anything about it.   Not even after spending time in a hospital following the accident or even though the crash is under federal investigation.   He'll drink again the first chance he gets.  

Flight is a gripping portrait of an alcoholic who reaches the point where "he has no lies left in him".  He works his ass off to sidestep this moment and alienates his family and friends in the meantime.   His loyal union rep (Greenwood) works with the airline's attorney (Cheadle) to have his positive alcohol and drug test thrown out due to a potentially faulty breathalyzer.   This may save him from serving time in prison, but it sure won't help his underlying problems.   It will simply exacerbate them and enable him to keep using.  

Denzel Washington's performance will stir up the gamut of emotions any alcoholic or loved ones of an alcoholic have dealt with often.   He half-heartedly tries to stay sober and even befriends a fellow alcoholic (Reilly) in the hospital.  Whip attends an AA meeting and finds it isn't his scene, mostly because those attending at least attempt to deal with their problem and Whip can't be bothered to be that introspective.   Whip can be charming and charismatic, but is in the grips of something he can't control. Even losing his son's respect isn't enough to shake him loose from drinking.

Flight features one of Washington's best performances, which is saying something if you take into account his extensive and stellar career.   Flight also complements Washington with a deep roster of strong supporting roles and actors to match, including John Goodman as Whip's drug dealer who provides him the right drug to shake him from his hangover minutes before he testifies at a federal hearing.   Flight was also the first live-action movie Robert Zemeckis made since Cast Away (2000) and this is a director who rarely missteps.   Flight is a powerful, true examination of a problem which itself won't go away on its own and doesn't care how great a pilot you are.