Sully
Based on the scant minutes Captain Chesley Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) and co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) had to land U.S. Airways flight 1549 after multiple bird strikes disabled their Airbus A320 shortly after takeoff, ultimately landing them in the Hudson river and saving the lives of all 155 passengers and crew; this is their story, and the NTSB investigation that followed.
Directed by none other than Clint Eastwood, this surprisingly brief 95 minutes(amazingly short as far as Eastwood film runtimes go) recounting of history, breaks a part the pieces of what could be an incredibly droll procedural to instead present a heartfelt and emotional look at the good humanity can do; and, how or why many times true heroes don’t seek accolades for their achievements. Delicately handled by Hanks and Eckhart this solid and endearing performance works to expose the men behind the hero label, displaying their abilities, intelligence, weaknesses, and bravery in an event that under any other circumstances would have turned tragic. Naturally, Eastwood does employ a few schmaltzy moves to create a forced empathy or sense of relatability in several characters but this can almost be overlooked in the face of the rest of the story being told. Strong but brief performances from Laura Linney, Anna Gunn, and Mike O’Malley bring further gravity to this recounting, and, all but for the almost emergency brake ending, this film has all the markings of something to keep your eye on come awards season. Sully is rated PG-13.