Great direction and performances - just a little too dramatised on occasion

Rating: 7/10 (26 December 2016)

Dramas based on real events can always be a bit tricky and making a feature-length film out of an event that took place over a few minutes must have been even trickier. Some of the events in this film are dramatised, some to an annoying level (the guys in the investigation team were like Disney villains...) but I do understand that the show needed to have sort of dramatic flair to keep it interesting for 90- odd minutes. Hopefully it didn't tarnish anybody's recollection of the events too much.
It's oddly structured too but as time goes by in the film and events unfold, you understand why it was structured in such a way and I think it's fairly well done. It does mean that a few scenes are a bit heavy-handed in describing what's happening and how people are feeling and some transitions in and out of scenes are a bit hard to follow.
Overall though if you take yourself away from these issues and immerse yourself into this film and Hanks' stellar performance then it's a pretty thrilling ride (I can end my review on a corny joke too...)