With a pairing as strong Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks, it’s not a surprise “Sully” is already generating Oscar buzz. After sweeping six Oscar nominations with “American Sniper,” Eastwood’s highest-grossing feature to date, he tackles another tale of American heroism with his newest feature, “Sully.”
Hanks leads the film as Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot responsible for what is now known as “the miracle on the Hudson,” as he successfully completed an emergency landing in the Hudson River without any fatalities.
The film takes place in the immediate aftermath of the plane crash. Sully and his co-pilot come under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and are thrown into a frenzy of media attention following their unbelievable landing. While Sully’s actions saved the lives of many, his decisions are called into question.
“Sully” is set up like a courtroom drama that is intercut with flashbacks to the plane crash. This format not only gives audience members a seat on Airbus A320, but also invites them into Sully’s personal life to see how drastically the flight affected his reality. He grapples with self-doubt, regret, and grief. He comes to terms with his status as an American hero, though he feels unfit to hold the title. Sully and the audience must decide whether or not his emergency landing truly was needed.
Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks are a winning combination. Eastwood, while controversial in Hollywood due to his outspokenness about his conservative views, still remains one of the industry’s best story-tellers.
Eastwood, while an outsider, is able to attract top-billed actors to his projects because of his finesse with capturing the American spirit — he captures stories of heroism and sacrifice like no one else. While many films champion underdogs, he excels at showing their struggle to remain virtuous or victorious. He brings a grittiness and pathos to his films that makes their conclusions all the more rewarding or tragic.
Tom Hanks, on the other hand, is America’s most trusted actor. He’s played everything from Forrest Gump, to Walt Disney, to everyone’s favorite talking cowboy toy. Audience members will feel connected to his character before the film even begins. Having Hanks play another heroic captain, as he was previously nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Captain Richard Phillips in the film “Captain Phillips,” was a smart choice.
Hanks’ performance as the aging captain is powerful and believable. The story is well-paced and gripping. While the story is anchored around a plane crash, the most powerful moments of the film were scenes of Sully’s quiet contemplation. Audience members will leave the theater feeling touched and connected to a sense of pride for their country.
In the midst of such a turbulent time in American society, “Sully” suggests that American heroes do still exist, that not all systems are corrupt, and that humanity can triumph and overcome what is hurled at it – be it a flock of geese or an unsavory political figure.