Review: Flight

Photo: Flight / IMDb

What if I said a pilot who saved your life from a doomed airplane was intoxicated and high while he was flying it? 

That's exactly the storyline director, Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Castaway), and writer, John Gatins (Real Steel, Coach Carter), want you to believe in this thrilling drama.

What To Know

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Writer: John Gatins

Stars: Denzel Washington, Nadine Velazquez and Carter Cabassa

Rating: R for drug and alcohol abuse, language, sexuality/nudity and an intense action sequence. Parents Guide

Plot: Picture this: you get on a plane for a flight in some stormy conditions. The plane is met with intense turbulence and it suffers a major mechanical malfunction. Your plane is heading straight for a crash landing on earth when your pilot comes up with a ridiculous plan which ends up saving more lives than expected. 

SPOILER ALERT!!!! After the crash, an investigation by the NTSB shows the pilot, Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) was heavily intoxicated the night before and during the flight. After a series of lies throughout the investigation, Whip finally breaks down and tells the truth.

He spends time in jail where he sobers up, finds God, and shares his story with fellow inmates.

Family Friendly? Nope. You can answer this question just from the first scene where we see a fully naked woman getting out of bed with Whip after a night of sex, drugs, and alcohol. 

In addition, the film uses numerous profanities and we obviously see uses of alcohol and drugs throughout. I would say this is one of those "guys night out" kind of movies.

Should You See It? Definitely yes! Besides Remember The Titans this is my favorite Denzel Washington film. His performance was top-notch and he really sold himself as a troubled pilot who had reached rock bottom and needed help.

Flight is yet another movie I'm putting on my Oscars watch list.