FLIGHT

 Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Denzel Washington: airline pilot Captain Whip Whitaker

Nadine Velazquez: flight attendant Katerina Marquez

Tamara Tunie: purser Margaret Thomason

Brian Geraghty: co-pilot Ken Evans

Kelly Reilly: Nicole Maggen

Bruce Greenwood: pilot union rep Charlie Anderson

John Goodman: drug dealer Harling Mays

Don Cheadle: lawyer Hugh Lang

Melissa Leo: chief investigator Ellen Block

REVIEW

Expectations are high any time there is a movie with Denzel Washington in it: this time he really nails it giving what is probably his best performance. Because the role calls upon him to handle a variety of human emotions it’s to his credit he never goes over the top, something lesser actors constantly do. But he is not the only one who puts in a terrific performance; it’s just that he’s the best.

Although flying has a lot to do with the movie storyline it’s the human side of things that make it interesting. Questions of morals and ethics abound and that makes for good ol’ fashioned solid entertainment.

Despite the fact the running time is in excess of two hours, it is not a minute too long. One movie goer put it this way: “the movie is never too long when Denzel Washington is in it”.

  

CLASSIFICATION

 for drug and alcohol abuse, language, intense action sequence, sexuality and nudity.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

• In aviation terms the flight level is the altitude in feet divided by 100. For example 9,000 feet is referred to as flight level niner zero not niner thousand as we hear from Atlanta air traffic control.
• The flight from Orlando to Atlanta takes about 68 minutes not 52 as announced by the flight attendant.
• The NTSB official would have addressed Whitaker with his airline title Captain, not Mister.

P.S.

Although he’s in just one scene, James Dale is terrific playing a hospital patient. Can’t wait to see more of him in meatier roles.