Wow.
I saw the television previews for this flick. And I was wholly misled. I expected a suspenseful movie about a plotted cover-up and conspired set-up. What I got was a deeply emotional and biting glimpse into a sad, heart-wrenching life as affected by addiction. Denzel grabs this role with both hands and cannily dazzles with his portrayal of the complexities of his character, Whip. Granted, I hated cheering for him, but I had to. And even through that cheering, I hated Whip along the way.
The movie struck a personal chord, but the volume of that chord did not really hit home until the end. On reflection a day later, I find myself startled at the only-now appreciated metaphors of the nose-dive and the inversion—brilliant! Of course, some people in the nose dive never can pull out of it. Some people might invert, but they do nothing after but the glide. Others, thankfully, crash land and survive. But always there are casualties along the way.
In the depth of “Flight,” all of that occurs. Even though it is buried behind some Hollywood drama, watching it is painful.
But see it. Let it sit and simmer in the back of your mind. Then reflect. If this movie strikes a personal chord with you as it did with me, I think you’ll see what I’m talking about.
And if not—just enjoy Denzel. He’s good. And Melissa Leo, although in but a bit part, she’s always fantastic. In case you need more, the soundtrack is fabulous. And John Goodman? (wow—twice in less than a week he’s been in a flick I’ve seen) John Goodman does a fanTAStic job of making a dark character deliciously light and fun. Way to go, Mr. Goodman!