Movie: Sully

Sully:  a film about Captain Chesley Sullenberger’s 208 second miracle landing on the Hudson River.  While the river landing is played out, the film focuses on the subsequent National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”)investigation.  With an excellent script by Todd Komarnicki, Tom Hanks, as Sully, is given strong material with which to work and the result is one of Hank’s best roles.  Combining Hanks’ performance with Clint Eastwood’s directorial abilities, we are presented with a highly entertaining, mature story.  Without the use of fancy special effects and despite knowing the ending, you are totally pulled into this re-telling of an actual event.  The fact that all 155 people on board survived remains a remarkable feat, and using  the NTSB process to recount what happened, you learn just how miraculous a save it was.  The entire cast is excellent.  The interplay between Sully and his co-pilot, Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart), feels accurate and real.  The script makes it clear that Skiles’ role was important in the safe landing of US Airways Flight 1549.  The NTSB interviews with Sully and Skiles begin with the presumption that the Hudson River landing was unnecessary.  We learn that the results of the NSTB’s mock test showed that the plane could have returned safely to LaGuardia or have landed at a New Jersey airport.  The NTSB also questioned whether only one engine was down following the run in with the flock of geese rather than two as reported by Sully.  The fact that Sully is able to show why the NTSB recreations and presumptions are flawed is artfully presented and sits at the heart of this 95 minute movie.  Also well-handled is the portrayal of Sully’s reaction as an individual who had never been in the public arena.  Stick around for the credits and you’ll see photos of the real Sully interacting with his crew and the real passengers.  Eastwood continues to know how to put together a well crafted film.