Review of Sully (2016) by Martin L — 26 Dec 2016

I have watched plenty of movies this year. Sully is one of the best. It will stand out for a long time.

I am not a person who gets overly emotional while watching movies. Well, most of the time. But I did have to wipe the one or the other tear surreptitiously away while watching Sully - Miracle on the Hudson.

We all saw the TV footage and we all read the news stories about the US Airways plane that landed on the Hudson River in New York on January 15, 2009. But we were never told the story around the incident, from what went wrong to what happened in the aftermath of the emergency landing.

The captain of US Airways Flight 1549 was being hailed a hero for saving all 155 lives on board the plane. We read the newspaper articles, applauded the captain and then we moved on. At least I did. Until the movie brought that heroic act back to me. It made me think about the people on the plane, about the crew and the passengers.

Who ever took a moment to think of the rescue teams that were out there on that fateful day, helping to get everyone to safety? It was a icy cold January day. Without the help of the coast guard and all the other helpers, people may have died of hypothermia. Yet, thanks to the heroic efforts of every single person out there, everybody made it out alive. All of a sudden all these people were not an article in the newspaper, they were real people. What made them real? Their story. Why? Because it is a very powerful story.

The Story.

Sully - Miracle on the Hudson tells the events around the emergency landing from the perspective of the pilot, Captain Chesley Sullenberger. The crash is re-enacted as is the rescue operation that ensued afterwards. As a nice touch the rescue crews in the movie are portrayed by the real life heroes who were actually on duty when the plane came down. From the captain of the boat to the frog man who jumped into the water - these guys are the real deal. Its nice to have a face to them.

The movie deals with the emotional trauma that comes from such an experience. Not many people would have stopped to think how this near tragedy affected those onboard afterwards. We are witness to the nightmares and the PST symptoms that the pilot suffered from in the days after the crash. The stress must have been immense.

Also part of the aftermath was the investigation in the crash that followed. Such investigations are a crucial part of the process, as things learned will hopefully aid the prevention of future disasters. The investigator in the movie are portrayed as heartless and cold people, devoid of compassion. They were sent by the corporation to find out why the plane ended up on the Hudson River and not on an airport runway.

I don't know if this is exactly how it happened or if some Hollywood screen writing liberties were taken with that part. It certainly made for a lot of drama as the movie progressed. The truth lies probably somewhere in the middle.

The Cast.

Tom Hanks was as usual on top of his game with his portrayal of Sully. He is such a great actor. Although, a few times he reminded me of Forest Gump in his mannerism. I don't know if that intentional; I would not think so but what do I know.

The very strong supporting cast was lead by Aaron Eckhart and Laura Linney. Both were just incredible.

As a woman and a wife, I really felt for Laura's character of Lorraine Sullenberger. Her husband had just been in a place crash. He was far away, both physically and emotionally, and there was no way for her to be there. She had no option to see with her own eyes that he was ok, or to hold him. She had to deal with the sudden hype around his person to an extend she was completely unprepared for. The media parked in front of her house, making such noise that conversations inside were almost impossible.

Sully, her husband, was under pressure and fighting his own demons. He was also far away. It is hard to be there for someone if that someone isn't there. It is also hard to draw strength from someone how isn't there. She almost lost her husband and the father of her children. She must have been a very strong woman to be able to deal with all of this on her own.

Aaron Eckhart plays first officer Jeffrey Skiles, who copiloted the plane. His outrage and disbelief at the way the investigation was handled will resonate in many who are watching the movie.

Final Thoughts.

Overall Sully - Miracle on the Hudson is an extraordinary and powerful movie. The courage of the captain and his crew are awe inspiring. It is easy to forget that this is a story about real people. The passengers, the crew, the rescue people, the guys in the control centre in the radio tower at the airport. The movie makes them real to the viewer.

Saving 155 lives is a miracle. It was made possible by many people. One of them is Sully.