Flight

Traditional cinema normally starts off slow and builds up to a climactic ending.  The film Flight does the opposite and embraces an unorthodox format by dropping the viewer directly into the action and then slowly playing out the plot.  Using long dramatic shots the film Flight tells the story of a airline pilot who struggles with the abuse of alcohol.

Though the action takes place in the first 15 minutes of the film, the film builds up to a dramatic crash ending. Captain Whip Whitaker, played by Denzel Washington, is an airline pilot who has a severe addiction to alcohol and cocaine.  The film uses a dramatic plane crash incident to take the viewer through Whip Whitaker's journey through alcoholism.

Robert Zemeckis known for the "Back to the Future" trilogy  uses an amazing musical score that enhances the struggle that Washington's character goes through.  Some of the choices of songs, like the Rolling Stones, "Sympathy for the Devil," are subliminally connected to partying and drug usage.  This song is used to introduce Whip's drug dealer, played by John Goodman.  Goodman adds the necessary comic relief to the depressing undertones of Whip's downward spiral.

From beginning to end, Zemeckis captures the viewer with sneaky undertones and the fear of the unknown.  Flight is film worth seeing twice to really take in the story and to empathize with Washington's character.  With the long dramatic scenes, Denzel Washington is at his best and really allows the viewer to fall in love with the man he wants to be.