Flight

Released: 2012
Drama
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle
Running Time: 138 minutes
Rated: R

The breakdown: After a pilot saves an airplane from a deadly crash, the investigation into the cause leads to some disturbing discoveries about the man himself.

I rented this movie and had really wanted to catch in theaters.  From the preview I thought the story was going to be that the pilot was a good guy and just blacked out or something after the crash and didn't remember how he saved the plane.
The trailer, I thought, was completely deceiving after seeing the actual movie.

What the story really went like was this:

An asshole alcoholic, who likes to snort cocaine as well, just happens to be an airline pilot.  He's terrible to his ex-wife and he never speaks to his teenage son.  He sleeps around and it seems there is nothing redeemable about his character.  You see the entire plane crashing scene, you know exactly what happened.  Most of the movie is showing what an asshole he is to other people and how he can't control just about any of his urges, to drink or otherwise.  His problems really come to light after the crash investigation starts.

What this movie really is, is a failed attempt at a character study.  The directing was not bad, the acting was not bad.  The story is not believable, and the character does something completely out of character by the end of the movie.  You never care about the main character or his problems.  I ended up feeling cheated, and disappointed.  I had so looked forward to seeing this one.  I was bored at times, by how long some of the scenes went on to hammer home one certain point.  The main character was impossible to like, root for, and one dimensional.

This was not a good movie and I cannot recommend it.  I don't know why Washington was nominated for this performance, I'm sure there was a lot better that year.  If you want to see a great character study movie, I recommend "The Wrestler".

Anyways, skip this film.  Don't waste any time on this depressing, highly lacking "drama".
1 out of 5 for me caring about one of the side characters, and good acting (though it didn't lead anywhere unfortunately.)