I played hookey this afternoon and went to see Denzel Washington – knowing there would be scary scenes on an airplane and aware that my fear-of-flying self would go nuts. That’s how much I love Denzel as an actor (he’s not bad looking either).
He was as brilliant as always, only even more vulnerable than usual. As an alcoholic pilot wrestling with conscience and guilt, he showed a side I hadn’t seen before.
That said, I was less enthusiastic about the movie itself.
I found the love story a distraction rather than an interesting plot point or character reveal. I didn’t buy the ending at the NTSB hearing (I won’t spoil it). And there were at least two “Hey look – he’s drunk again” scenes that could have been cut. But the acting all around was first rate; Melissa Leo, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood and Don Cheadle were all great.
Will Denzel get another Oscar nom? It’s a very tough field, but I hope so.