Sully

Rating: 7/10 (19 September 2016)

Since around the year 2000, I've adopted a rule to see any film Clint Eastwood has been involved with, and largely that is a rule that has proved fruitful. Sully, the 2016 film directed by Eastwood, was another shining example of the mastery of Eastwood behind the lens. Starring Tom Hanks in the titular role, along with Aaron Eckhart as the co- pilot no one knows, Sully tells the story of the miraculous landing of a US Airways flight on the Hudson River in 2009. Audiences everywhere remember that fateful day, and can recall being captivated by the newsreel footage that overtook American TV screens; what we didn't know, however, was the tumult Captain Sullenberger endured with the National Transportation Safety Board. Exposing this untold aspect of the story, and delving deeper into the psyche of the veteran pilot after his difficult landing, makes Sully a film not to be missed.
Thursday, January 15th, 2009, is a day that started off like any other workday for Captain Chesley Sullenberger (Sully) (Tom Hanks) the 42-year veteran pilot. After settling into the cockpit for another flight, Sully performs all of his pre-flight checklist with first officer, Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart). When all systems are go, Sully and the crew take off with 155 total people on board the plane. Moments after takeoff, a flight of Canadian geese fly straight towards the plane disabling both engines. As everything begins to fail, Sully makes the decision to reroute back to LaGuardia where the plane departed from. When the plane loses thrust and altitude at an alarming rate, Sully decides they will not be able to make it back to the airport, and is now faced with how to execute an emergency landing and save as many people on board as he possibly can. The only option that seems available to Sully is to attempt a landing on the Hudson River. An unprecedented water landing is, by no means, an easy undertaking, especially on a frigid 20-degree day. Sully did the unthinkable, not only successfully landing the aircraft, but doing so with no loss of life. Remaining on board until the last possible moment, making sure all passengers were off the plane, then taking the flight manifest with him to be able to account for all the passengers, Sully acted as a true captain to every soul who happened to board U.S. Airways flight 1549. That's the part of the story the audience knows, what we didn't know was the tumult Sullenberger went through with the National Transportation Safety Board, who was dealing with the insurance fallout following such an emergency landing. The ensuing investigation threatened to ruin Sullenberger's career and his burgeoning aviation safety consulting business. The investigation threatened Sully's lifework, and pension, all while being touted as a national hero. Sullenberger fought for his livelihood while dealing with the debilitating fallout of the traumatic experience he endured. It is easy to think about the passengers onboard the flight and the harrowing experience they went through, but it is easy to forget that Captain Sullenberger went through the same traumatic experience, with the added stress of being responsible for every life on board, as well. An amazing insight to the man who captivated a nation, Sully is sure to gain some Oscar buzz, and one not to be missed.
Clint Eastwood attempts the incredibly difficult task of taking a story that everyone knows and telling it in a captivating way. Eastwood definitely achieves this feat, as the audience is on the edge of their seat, even though they already know the outcome of the story. Eastwood, choosing to inject the following NTSB investigation into Captain Sullenberger's actions was a stroke of brilliance, allowing the audience to become engrossed and possibly enraged with another aspect of his heroic story, that we may not otherwise have known. I am no fan of Tom Hanks, I actually prefer to only watch him in a movie if I can forget that he is the actor I am watching on screen; that being said, Tom Hanks was perfect for the role of Captain Sullenberger. He embodies the extremely focused, almost militant Sullenberger in a fantastic way. Aaron Eckhart was also a brilliant selection for the strong supporting role of the first officer who was a necessity to Sullenberger's unprecedented landing. Sound acting choices and the brilliance of Clint Eastwood behind the camera create a wonderful story of one man's heroic feat that gave New York some much needed plane-related good news.