"Thank you Captain, thank you, thank you".

Rating: 9/10 (17 September 2016)

One of the picture's most valuable contributions to the saga of the 'Miracle on the Hudson' is that the event was not a plane crash, but a successful forced water landing. Captain Chesley Sullenburger (Tom Hanks) appropriately called for that distinction more than once during his insightful soul searching and more significantly, in front of the NTSB review board. That's where the real drama took place, separate and apart from the tense moments on board the ill fated United Airways Flight 1549.
Anyone who recalls watching the drama of the real life event back in 2009 will certainly describe Captain Sully a hero, even if he was rather self consciously proclaiming that he was just doing his job. What virtually no one is aware of was the intense pressure he and his co-pilot Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) were subjected to, in order to convince the review board that dealing with human lives in a life or death situation can't conceivably be relived using computer simulations. That's one of the main gripes I've always had when it comes to corporate 'logic' and defending principles before a committee that never walked the walk but expect others to be in lock step with expected behavior based on a computer model.
As always, Tom Hanks performs at a professional best level as Captain Sully, effectively portraying the real captain's physical presence and demeanor. It was gratifying to see that director Eastwood paid tribute to the real life hero by including a clip at the end of the picture with some of the passengers who successfully came through the ordeal. One note of caution to prospective viewers regarding Sully's nightmarish visions while reliving the tragedy in his own mind - the scenes are poignantly similar to footage resembling the events of 9/11 and have the same kind of harrowing impact.