Review of Flight (2012) by Casey W — 14 Oct 2013

Denzel Washington plays Whip Whitaker, an airline pilot with a substance abuse problem. After a wild night in a hotel room with a flight attendant, Whip shows up for duty loaded on alcohol and cocaine. Soon after takeoff there's a malfunction that sends the plane into a nosedive from 30,000 feet. The co-pilot, Ken Evans begins praying. Whip meanwhile, tries to pull the plane out of its downward spiral by rolling it over. Flying it upside down does indeed help him regain some stabilization enough that he can crash land it into a field. All but six of the people on board survive.

Behind the scenes, investigators find evidence that he had substances in his system at the time. An attorney for the pilots' union, Hugh Lang is brought in to defend Whip during an investigation hearing and to protect the airline from potential passenger lawsuits. Whip knows that he saved many lives with his actions. He also knows that what he did was reckless, heroic outcome or not, and he will therefore face jail time if the truth comes out. Initially, he decides that he's not going to drink anymore. He begins a romance with a recovering heroin addict named Nicole. He seeks the validation of Evans and another surviving crew member. Sobriety doesn't come easily, and soon he's calling on his dealer for more cocaine.

Written by John Gatins, Flight authentically captures the track that addiction puts people on. We watch with a mixture of sadness and disgust as Whip denies the severity of his problem, tries to will it away, attempts to convince others it doesn't exist, and eventually is smacked in the face by the reality of it. Once he realizes the enormous toll his use has taken, there are damages that can no longer be undone. Denzel Washington effectively brings the character's shame to life, creating a man whose pain is always right under the surface. As the crash investigation goes on and the screws turn tighter on Whip, Washington adds new layers to his performance; he becomes a man in full fledged panic mode trying to come to terms with the demons that may ruin him personally and professionally. Admitting his problem is a threat to him, but having it exposed is just as much of a threat. Every drop of pain the character feels is made real by his sensitive portrayal. The plane crash scenario gives the story an especially gripping twist. The crash sequence is extremely intense, yet it also perfectly sets up the denial that all addicts experience. Whip correctly states that few, if any, other pilots could have pulled that little maneuver off. He saved lives.

He also did it while he was wasted. Is he a good man who did a bad thing, or a bad man who managed to do something heroic? Flight leaves that for you to decide. One of the most devious aspects of addiction is that it turns its victims into Someone Else. They get lost and need to find their way back. Whip Whitaker is deeply lost. While in the cockpit he avoids the dreaded crash and burn. In his life the outcome is a lot less certain.