Tell us what you thought of 'Flight'
Robert Zemeckis's return to live action lands today
Denzel Washington and Kelly Reilly in "Flight"
Credit: Paramount Pictures
Are you a fan of In Contention?
Sign up to get the latest updates instantly.
Alright, enough out of us about "Flight." You know I like it and you've heard what screenwriter John Gatins, co-star John Goodman and star Denzel Washington have to say. It's time to get your thoughts on the film, which finally makes it to the arrival gate (ugh, I know) nationwide today. So when and if you get around to seeing the film, come on back here and tell us your thoughts. And feel free to rate the film via the tool above.
Kristopher Tapley has covered the film awards landscape for over a decade. He founded In Contention in 2005. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Times of London and Variety. He begs you not to take any of this too seriously.
2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
UPDATED: FEB 25, 2013
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
Latest Posts
-
Zal Batmanglij's latest hits theaters May 31Tuesday, May 21, 2013
-
Michael Douglas and Matt Damon excel in Soderbergh's witty Liberace biopicTuesday, May 21, 2013
-
The actor-director gets all the best close-ups in his Faulkner adaptationMonday, May 20, 2013
-
'Traumatized critics exhale.'Monday, May 20, 2013
Comments
Option 1
Comment instantly as a guest GuestOption 2
Option 3
Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupIb
November 2, 2012 at 12:47PM EST Reply to CommentDenzel's performance was staggeringly good, but beyond the harrowing crash sequence I think it really veered off into kind of manipulative, predictable, and often tacky (with the whole religious angle they tried to take) in a way that I just really couldn't take seriously especially going into that ending. The OD sequence set to "Under the Bridge" was my first hint that I was in for a long one. Not sure why so many major critics are taking such a liking to it apart from Washington's performance.
CaptainCanada
November 2, 2012 at 10:01PM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was a very strong film, with a great cast. Washington, obviously, should definitely be in the hunt for the Oscar; possibly his best since "Malcolm X". There's a bunch of other really good performances here, though in parts not likely to get Oscar attention (I could definitely see Kelly Reilly ending up on my own top five, but in the actual nominees that's not happening). Tamara Tunie has one really dynamite scene.
d2 I was actually quite fond of the supporting players - Brian Geraghty, Kelly Reilly, Melissa Leo and especially James Badge Dale. Wonderful. Parts of Denzel's performance actually annoyed me. He does, however, have a few Oscar clips and will definitely be nominated.
November 3, 2012 at 11:44AM ESTOne thing to note. I remember around the time of The Pelican Brief, he refused to include a kissing scene with Julia Roberts in the film because he didn't want to "disrespect" his (black) wife. I wonder what changed now that he's kissing Kelly Reilly...?
CaptainCanada I didn't even realize that was Melissa Leo when I was watching it.
November 3, 2012 at 4:14PM ESTI also wondered about "The Pelican Brief", because this is the first time I can recall him kissing a white woman onscreen. March of progress, I guess.
/3rt Denzel has a kissing/sex scene with Milla Jovovich in Spike Lee's He Got Game.
November 3, 2012 at 5:42PM ESTPatrick B.
November 2, 2012 at 10:47PM EST Reply to CommentI saw it tonight and really enjoyed it. As most can agree, it's Washington's movie all the way and he absolutely nails it. Commanding, nuanced, complicated, and deeply human. The flight sequence was phenomenally terrifying. I thought the ensemble was very well-cast, and on a separate tangent- strikingly and appropriately diverse. Reilly, in particular, was wonderful but most of my issues with the film lie with her character. I just wish she had more to do, more of a journey for us to see, instead of just disappearing. And I just thought her recovery seemed way too easy, suddenly she's sober and determined. But, this is a minor quibble. I really liked the moral questions the film asked, and thought it was extremely thought-provoking. I had small issues with tone (the jesus scene with the young couple, and the coke scene before the final hearing felt off) but largely thought the film succeeded far more than it stumbled. And Washington's performance is one for the books.
Zack I wish she'd stuck around too, but it makes sense from a narrative standpoint for her not to come back. Her departure is part of his bottoming out, and things aren't going to get better for him before he admits he has a problem, so as far as the redemption narrative goes I feel like it'd kind of be cheating to bring her back after she's left.
November 3, 2012 at 4:17PM ESTPatrick B. I totally agree with you. I have no issue with her leaving, for all the reasons you mentioned, but I wish we could have seen more of her journey and struggle before she did leave. Great performance either way.
November 5, 2012 at 12:02AM ESTEvan Agreed about those two scenes you brought up-- the Jesus scene and the coke one were way off-base with the film. In fact, I felt like it might of glorified his addiction a little too much.
November 10, 2012 at 8:45PM ESTI was left wondering if the film was morally bankrupt given that the audience derives pleasure from all the worst parts.
JJ1
November 3, 2012 at 8:09AM EST Reply to CommentI wonder what people's general consensus of 'Cast Away' was when it came out. Because that was a Zemeckis movie that the public loved that got good reviews and who had a stand-out male lead performance that most of the blogosphere doesn't quite love (some do, some hate).
I feel like the same thing might happen with 'Flight'. Just a hunch.
JLPatt
November 3, 2012 at 3:52PM EST Reply to CommentIt's solid. Conventional, but effective.
The nudity was certainly not needed, however, and went against what otherwise felt like very old-fashioned filmmaking.
Kristopher Tapley I'm not complaining.
November 5, 2012 at 4:14AM ESTJJ1 good times
November 5, 2012 at 9:00AM ESTZack
November 3, 2012 at 4:09PM EST Reply to CommentLiked it a lot, and I agree that that was Washington's best performance in years.
****SPOILERS BELOW*****
I didn't hate the conclusion, but I did feel like they could have put way more effort into his conscience catching up with him like it did; he spent most of the movie coming off as the type of guy who really would have been fine with telling one more lie if it would put the whole thing behind him. I don't think that would have been a hard thing to fix.
CaptainCanada I wondered about that, but I think his immediate, visceral response to when Cheadle initially brings up the idea of passing the blame onto the deceased flight attendant gave a pretty clear indication that he considered that a bridge too far.
November 3, 2012 at 4:16PM ESTRodney Hollis He actually NEVER lied about the fact that he was drunk and high. Even in the beginning he almost humorously thought he could clean up before toxicology was done. The first time he had to lie was in that climatic scene and it was also the first time he saw his dead lover since the crash. So I disagree. All throughout the picture he manipulated those around him to lie for him and do his dirty work. The film's nuanced arc was subtly building toward his having to tell ONE LIE about the accident and his choice was compelling and completely consistent with his character. He is the consummate “honest drunk.”
November 4, 2012 at 1:51PM ESTI agree that all the acting was superb and I’m one for longshots so I’m hoping James Badge Dale’s cameo proves to be that rare one-scene Oscar nominated performance! Sheer genius!
RichardZ I think the climax in the end could have been sharper had the movie spend more time with developing the flight attendant's character---her nudity was not enough.
November 5, 2012 at 11:21AM ESTEvan CaptainCanada, that's not how I viewed that scene at all. I viewed it as Don Cheadle accusing him of being the drunk one and therefore implicating that he'd be caught-- hence, his angry, "want to get out of here" reaction. The ending change-of-heart seemed abrupt.
November 10, 2012 at 8:43PM EST/3rt
November 3, 2012 at 5:49PM EST Reply to CommentI didn't like it. I didn't think Washington's performance was one for the ages. This is the kind of part he was all too happy to take and it shows in his acting choices. I really like Tamara Tunie. Never forgetting her supporting turn in Devil's Advocate.
JJ1
November 4, 2012 at 9:27AM EST Reply to CommentI thought the film was good and Washington was superb.
That said, my father (who lives in another state) walked into the movie expecting what the trailers offered and was VERY disappointed that it wasn't a terror-in-the-skies movie (ugh), but a "slow, cerebral" thing.
I wonder how many people will feel the same.
I tried to gauge people's reactions as I was leaving my own theater and I kept hearing smatterings of "well, he's always good" or "oh, he was excellent". No one was talking about the movie, itself. But that's not necessarily out of the ordinary, either.
Joe Yeah I think this was Denzel's movie start to finish. I enjoyed the film but had problems with the Kelly Reilly character - thought she was unnecessary and hated that they had her in the opening. It took away from Denzel's arc.
November 4, 2012 at 10:15AM ESTI enjoyed the film because Denzel was excellent and really kept me engaged and frustrated (in a good way). Other than that and the scary flight sequence, nothing else is remarkable.
glebe My audience was much more active than I expected. After about halfway through, there were audible gasps, throwing hands up in the air in frustration, and vocal "No!"s every time Denzel grabbed another drink.
November 4, 2012 at 5:51PM ESTSo it'll be interesting to see what average moviegoing audiences think. Not only does the trailer make it look a lot breezier than it is but they are probably not used to seeing films with such heavy themes and unlikeable protagonists.
glebe Oh and as active as the audience was, you could hear a pin drop at the conclusion of the crash scene.
November 4, 2012 at 5:52PM ESTKyle P
November 4, 2012 at 10:01PM EST Reply to CommentThe nudity certainly grabbed my attention! It's probably the only positive I can find in this poorly written and utterly predictable film. It felt like the leads had dialed it up to 20 and were giving high school drama level monologues, and the religious angle was laughably on the nose.
I wish I had seen Wreck it Ralph instead.
RichardZ
November 5, 2012 at 11:16AM EST Reply to CommentDenzel was stellar in this movie. I think this is his best performance ever. I'd consider it for best pic--it needed a tighter script tho.
The sequence in the airplane was great.
I wonder how this movie is received in the AA community?
joseph weaver jr I believe the aa community will embrace this film...complicated people make great alcoholics wheter it be in hollywood oe real life...addiction is one bastard of a disease!
February 22, 2013 at 2:51PM ESTjoseph weaver jr
February 22, 2013 at 2:55PM EST Reply to CommentI liked training day better!...everything denzel is awesome, but when it goes against his real self, it must be awful hard to do some of his movies
which in turn make him a great actor!