Flight (2012)

Robert Zemeckis' new drama Flight is the story of an airplane pilot who, when his aircraft begins falling apart mid-air, crash-lands it in a startling way that begins by turning the thing upside down. This scene rivals Argo's finale in terms of intensity, and in any other movie probably would have been the highlight. In this film though, it takes place pretty much right at the beginning and becomes the jumping point for a story of genuine emotional anguish that is headlined by a brilliant performance from Denzel Washington as Captain Whip Whitaker.

At the very start of the picture, we see Whip waking up from an all-night drinking session, quickly snorting up some cocaine and jumping into the pilot's chair without any hesitation. Denzel Washington is so amazing in this role because he brings it something we don't typically see in a drug dependency character: a downright unnerving calm. Whip is an alcoholic and drug addict without shame or remorse, and literally turns from a slobbering invalid flopping on the floor into a confident smooth-talker who is perfectly capable of flying a plane. Most of the movie revolves around an upcoming hearing that will determine the fault of the crash, whether it be machine or pilot error. Everyone knows that it was the plane that broke down and that the captain was drunk, even having had drinks during the flight, but the question isn't whether or not he had control of his faculties, but whether or not he is a criminal for risking it.

Flight is a fascinating film from a morality standpoint. Its story, a captivating original screenplay by John Gatin, asks questions we never would have thought of and goes places we didn't think it could. This is not your grandparents' inspirational movie, and there are some moments that are truly shocking. To make things even better, there is a great supporting cast that includes Don Cheadle as a no-nonsense lawyer determined to let Whip walk, John Goodman as an amusing drug dealer who seems to have skipped the last three decades entirely and Kelly Reilly as a heartbreaking former heroin addict who falls for Whip, but can't stand by while he destroys himself. As great as these characters are, they are somewhat overshadowed by the silent chaos of Denzel Washington's acting, which raises an already great movie even higher. Flight would have worked no matter who it starred, but with Washington it has a guaranteed place as one of the best films of the year.

10/10