Intense Character Study

Rating: Null/10 (28 January 2017)

Sully (2016)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Highly entertaining film from Clint Eastwood about the 2009 "Miracle on the Hudson" where pilot Chesley Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) had both engine's fail and in an desperate attempt had to land to plane in the Hudson River. He was quickly labeled a hero but this film explains the emotional toll that this had on him.
SULLY is certainly a very entertaining movie that manages to keep you entertained throughout and it gets a lot of credit for telling a recent story that most people are going to already know about and manage to hold your attention throughout. It seems the biggest news about the film in recent months was the fact that it was shut out at the Oscars. Usually with an A-list star and director plus a box office hit, you get more attention from the Academy but even with the lack of love the film is certainly still worth seeing.
The most impressive thing for me was the fact that most people were already familiar with the events here yet Eastwood managed such tight direction that you couldn't help but feel the pressure of the landing and the aftermath. I mean, everyone knows that everyone made it off the plane yet the landing sequences here are truly intense and manage to keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The film shows the landing several times throughout the movie and each time from a different point of view. It doesn't matter which view you're seeing it from, the intense factor is certainly there.
Another major plus is that you've got such a great cast of characters doing great work. All of the minor roles are played wonderfully and the better known actors also do a terrific job. Laura Linney deserves a lot of credit for her scenes as Sully's wife. Then you've got the always underrated Aaron Eckhart who plays the co-pilot. Then there is Hanks who is obviously one of the best known actors out there. He fully sinks into this character and to the point where you see the character only and not just Tom Hanks playing a part. I was really impressed with the transformation that Hanks went through and I thought it was really spectacular here with how much emotion was here. The dark side of your fifteen-minutes of fame is something Hanks nailed.
Technically speaking the film is quite impressive and there's no doubt that there's plenty of entertainment here for everyone. I wouldn't call the film flawless or great but what few flaws there are isn't going to kill anything.