Films based on real events and characters have not drummed up much box office business.
Advertisement
For suspense’s sake, the movie tries to make us believe that Sully might have made a serious mistake landing on the river. Government investigators are the villains here, even though Sully holds no grudge.
“We’re not the KGB”. “We’re the guys with the white hats on”. And, to make matters worse, you’re surrounded by skyscrapers and can’t make it back to the airport?!
So, what’s the procedure when a flock of Canadian geese fly into your engines, essentially turning your airliner into a glider? His performance quietly exudes the integrity and dedication of Captain Sullenberger. That way the board can make safety recommendations to the government, industry, labor unions, aircraft makers and others in an effort to prevent future accidents. In 207 seconds, with both engines out, Sully and Skiles brought the plane down in a water landing on the Hudson River. Pilot union officials representing them were present during all the interviews and at later public forums.
“We weren’t out to hose the crew”, Benzon said. “We weren’t out to embarrass anybody at all”. The hearing at the end of the movie becomes just as gripping, with an ending that’s far less certain. “To paraphrase the title character, it’s just a movie doing its job”. The NTSB is not convinced as they trust their engineers and computer simulations which tell a different story of what really happened.
“He said, ‘These are people who are not prosecutors”. Rescue crews coordinated to safely bring the 155 people ashore from the freezing water, the city rejoiced, and Sully became a hero nearly as much for his modesty and desire to credit everyone involved as for his flying skill. When he got home to his family – things changed. He also has some understated scenes on the phone with his wife (Laura Linney) back in California who is unaware of the incident until she gets his call. He said he’s also been impressed since then with how Sullenberger has used his fame to promote aviation safety.
Advertisement
“No matter what happens, whether it’s this event or anything else, I don’t want something to stop me from living the life that I’m meant to live”, Barnhardt said. I foresee Oscar nominations for both men. Today, more than ever, it bears reminding that there are still real heroes in this world who go to the furthest lengths to do the right thing and to care for the people under their wings (in this case, literally). You can feel his worry radiating off the screen, and as you watch his joy at finding out everyone made it off the plane there’s a pretty good chance you’ll end up a little choked up yourself.
