Sully (2016)

I thought "Sully" got off to a bit of a slow start. I remember the incident well from news reports - Captain Sullenberger landing the massive Airbus A320 in the Hudson River just a few minutes after takeoff because of dual engine failures - and everyone surviving the incident. It sounds like an exciting story, but it's made pretty clear from the start that this is going to be far more about the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board than about the incident itself. Which, I suppose, is understandable. As is pointed out several times in the movie, the entire incident lasted about 208 seconds. You can't really make a movie about a 208 second incident. And, indeed, for the first little while this movie had me a bit disoriented, wondering what really was going on. But the story picks up its pace well, and in the end director Clint Eastwood did a magnificent job of moving back and forth from the narrative about the investigation to what actually happened in the cockpit - and the cockpit scenes were dramatic and seemingly (to me, admittedly a non-pilot) meticulously recreated - as was the ultimate evacuation of the plane afterward. It really was a tribute not just to Sully, but to all of the flight crew, who acted professionally and calmly and ensured the survival of their passengers.The NTSB didn't come across quite as well. Sullenberger became (understandably) a hero almost from the moment this happened. After all, it happened in broad daylight in one of the world's largest cities - lots of people saw it. The depiction of the NTSB investigators was that they were antagonistic toward Sully, perhaps either disturbed or jealous that his media acclaim was getting way ahead of their work, and they came across as people looking to place blame for the incident rather than people who were looking for the truth. The actual investigators disputed how they were portrayed, and my understanding is that even Sullenberger disagreed with the liberties that the writers and Eastwood took with this part of the story. I suppose there was a feeling that a movie has to have a "bad guy" to create dramatic tension - and the NTSB filled that role perfectly, even if the portrayal was unfair.Tom Hanks is obviously the star of this movie. Aaron Eckhart is along for the ride as Scully's co-pilot, Jeff Skiles, but everything in this movie focuses on Hanks. His performance, I thought, was predictably excellent. It's an understated performance - not high on typical drama or excitement, but portraying Sully as a naturally humble man who finds himself thrust into the spotlight and tormented by the thought that he could have done something different - something safer - although it's made clear that for all his thoughts about alternatives in the end he's confident that he made the right decision - the evidence for that being that all 155 people on the plane survived.Ultimately, after that slow start that lasted for maybe 15 or 20 minutes when the movie seemed a bit off focus, this turned out to be an excellent story of a man who is, indeed, a real hero. (8/10)

Based on the true story of the 2009 emergency airplane landing in New York's Hudson River: the events following the rescue include a hearing at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which claims that the plane might have landed safely at a nearby airport and avoided endangering those on board."Sully" was based on the book "Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters" by Chesley Sullenberger (aka Sully, the flight's captain) and Jeffrey Zaslow.The choice of narrative structure was wisely chosen. Instead of beginning with the main event itself, the film starts with the beginning of the NTSB hearings and later shows the emergency landing in flashback. This sets up an unexpected focus: instead of highlighting heroism, the film concentrates on the problems the event triggered and the inner turmoil of Sully himself.This movie works mainly because it is in the hands of two very able and trusted stalwarts: director Clint Eastwood and lead actor Tom Hanks. The simulation of the emergency landing is as thrilling as expected but there is just as much tension in the NTSB hearings. Here, the viewer is able to see the character behind someone (Sully) who can be extraordinary as he fights back but in a calm way; someone who thinks well and quickly; and also shows humility to acknowledge everyone's participation in the successful rescue rather than letting himself be singled out. Only someone with the depth and experience of Hanks could pull this off so well.The closing credits add a special bonus to this fine film. As it has already been mentioned: during that infamous decade, New Yorkers needed good news like this - especially news involving an airplane.

Tom Hanks in Chesley Sullenburger. He becomes the character. What could have been a long drawn-out movie with only 10 minutes of serious action becomes a masterpiece under the watchful eye of Director Clint Eastwood. Some of the biographical details may seem like filler, but it's nice to know a little bit about the man after all the hype about the hero. An attempt is made to discredit the magnificent deed of saving all 155 on board the aircraft, by the National Safety Board. Apparently, the movie ruffled a few feathers high up, as it was claimed that the inquest "didn't exactly happen that way". Indeed! That's because it all had to be compressed into a mere 96 minutes. That's in far less time that even one board hearing, I am sure. Spellbinding. Great storytelling. I "believed" that I was aboard the aircraft. The re-enactment was superb. "Not a movie for those with a fear of flying"-says The New York Times Review.

One of the most remarkable incidents of the 2000s was when U.S. Airways Flight 1549 landed in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. All of the 155 passengers on the plane survived. This dramatization of the incident, starring Tom Hanks, tells the story of Captain Chesley Sullenberger, who pulled off the Miracle on the Hudson, as it's called. Hanks gives a solid performance as Sully, who is conflicted as to whether or not he endangered the lives of all of the people on board. Aside from the incident itself, most of the movie is dedicated to the debate over whether or not the plane could potentially have returned to LaGuardia. The FAA is made out to be a villain of sorts. Some may argue that this is not as interesting as the incident itself, or that it isn't good movie material. It still works as a film, as it is more about Sully himself than anything else. Director Clint Eastwood does a great job at telling the story, by cutting the incident into several scenes and having the rest be about how it affected Sully's life, and that of his family. After the incident, Sully himself had to deal with PTSD, as well as the stress of instantly becoming a celebrity. His wife and daughters also had to deal with a constant bombardment of attention from the press. This is the focal point of the movie. It's about the people, not the incident. In that regard, it is a very good movie, but if you're expecting it to be about the incident itself, go watch any of the documentaries made about it.