“This is the captain, brace for impact.”
Chesley Sulienberger, an American hero by nearly every account, used gut and intuition to strategically land US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in the waking hours of January 15, 2009. The incident was immediately referred to by the general public as a miracle, but those behind the scenes weren’t quick to classify the landing as heroic.
While we all know the events leading up to that unexpected landing, Sully, Clint Eastwood’s latest true-life adaptation, opts to center around Captain Sulienberger’s struggle as he works to digest the events, absorb the outside attention and stand confident in his decisions as he finds himself in the midst of a heated investigation.
The film, which bears a rather short run time (especially by Eastwood standards) of only ninety-six minutes, open the day following the emergency landing. We find our lead protagonist (played flawlessly by Tom Hanks) running through the streets of New York City, anxious to keep moving, even though he doesn’t appear to have a set destination in mind. Hank’s ability to channel the stress and anxiety is remarkable, brining forth a rigid look that unveils a wealth of emotion, all sitting just behind the pupil.
It is through this blitz on emotions that we begin to understand the man behind the miracle. Eastwood utilizes flashbacks and nightmarish daydreams to help the audience fill in the details relating to the frightful 208 seconds that threatened and ultimately established his career. And while everything has to be taken with a grain of salt, it is hard not to sit up and pay your respect to a man who successfully accomplished the impossible, saving all 155 lives on board of a commercial airline that was forced to make an emergency water landing.
As the film enters into its second act, stereotypes threaten to overtake the story. From a villainous lead investigator for the airline (played well by Mark O’Malley) to the troubled marriage and lacking communication of Sulienberger and his wife, Sully flirts with a nosedive itself. But Eastwood battles through the pitfalls, offing to focus on the investigations and not the personal turmoils. The decision leaves a lot to be questioned in regard to Laura Linney’s Lorrie Sulienberger. Her scenes are rare and a bit out of place, making her presence a bit of a puzzle; though one can only assume that she was there to make her husband appear more human. Not entirely needed but I refuse to discredit the film for it.
When the film reaches its climax and we get to witness the events of that unexpected morning from start to finish, both Hanks and co-star/pilot Aaron Eckhart (playing Jeff Sikiles) hit their stride. Boasting an undeniable chemistry and a pure sense of the story and its many components, both actors go all in, offering up a strong and sturdy relationship that pulls at your heartstrings. As you watch several groups of people, from all walks of life, become heroes in their own right, instinctually offering a helping hand to those in need, it is hard to not sit up and smile.
In that same vein, it will be hard to find someone out there who, after watching original members of Flight 1549 reunite during the closing credits, won’t leave with a smile on their face and a good feeling in their heart. Sully ins’t the best move ever made. But Tom Hanks is truly remarkable and the story itself is just too good to be true…almost.
