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Here's a look at the new film I saw this week, the excellent drama "Flight."

Flight
Starring: Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, Bruce Greenwood, and John Goodman
Synopsis: Does excellent performance excuse criminal indulgence? That’s the question at the heart of “Flight,” a superb new film that features and incredible performance from Washington and an even more compelling story. The film’s trailers give one a sense of its plot. Whip Whitaker (Washington) is a great pilot that’s troubled by some huge personal demons. All those factors are in play when he gets in the cockpit of what should be a routine flight that turns out to be anything but routine. The film marks the first live-action feature for director Robert Zemeckis since “Cast Away” in 2000, and it’s another good one. The film’s gripping portrayal of a man dealing with his personal demons and a difficult situation is already drawing early Oscar buzz. The heart of the film goes back to the initial question I posed at the top of this review. Whitaker is both good at his job and dealing with a serious substance abuse problem. When complications with the plane lead to a desperate situation, Whitaker is forced to act quickly. With the plane in a rapid decent, he pulls off an unorthodox move to buy time and save as many lives as possible. In bringing the plane down, all but a handful on board survive the crash. It’s hailed as an incredible miracle. But when the toxicology report comes in, Whitaker is put under a microscope. His pilot union rep, Charlie Anderson (Greenwood), and his lawyer, Hugh Lang (Cheadle), try to help make the best of the situation. But Whitaker has a number of other influences in his life. Further complicating matters is the relationship he develops with a recovering addict, Nicole (Reilly), and the unhealthy influence of his friend and dealer Harling Mays (Goodman). As Whitaker fights his urges, struggles with the past, and tries to clear his name, he must also overcome the guilt he feels at the death of a co-worker, Katerina Marquez (Nadine Velazquez), whose name is besmirched in an effort to keep Whitaker from paying the price for his own bad decisions. Those that have seen this film will be compelled by a lot of the different ideas. It’s a beautiful, moving, and honest portrayal of someone dealing with substance abuse. It’s an interesting character study. It poses interesting questions. It’s got some beautiful relational moments. And the film has a fascinating final act. But what ties it all together is the grounding performance of Washington, who’s now on the short list for an Academy Award nomination, and the solid direction of Zemeckis, who hasn’t lost his touch with dramatic material. Part of what makes the story so powerful and moving is the work of screenwriter John Gatins (“Coach Carter,” “Real Steel”), who poured a lot of himself into the script. Gatins was quoted as saying the script came, in part, from his own struggles with substance abuse, and that authenticity comes across on the screen. Of course the film also doesn’t let the audience escape the question of whether superior performance in your job excuses immoral behavior. Whitaker does the near impossible — pulling off a risky maneuver that saves a lot of lives and can’t be replicated by other pilots in simulation. But he also performs this miraculous feat while impaired, a clear criminal violation. The question the film wants the audience to grapple with, and that the characters grapple with, is how to reconcile those two ideas. This, naturally, leads to an incredibly compelling and moving final act. I won’t spoil the ending here, but will just say that it drives the conversation around that question and the narrative of the film long after the closing credits roll. That, too, is a credit to the performances, writing, and production of the film. “Flight” isn’t a perfect film. There are difficult sequences, and at times the film can be difficult to watch due to the subject matter. Again, that is largely a credit to the authentic performances on screen. At the heart of this film is the incredible work of Washington, who brings a conflicted character in a conflicted story to life in an incredibly engrossing way. “Flight” isn’t the best film I’ve seen this year, but it’s satisfying and compelling. It’s worth checking out, despite the rough subject matter, for Washington’s performance alone. It’s not hard to imagine he’ll be making the circuit again come awards season.
Rating: R for drug and alcohol abuse, language, sexuality/nudity and an intense action sequence. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Nov. 9 — "Skyfall"
Nov. 16 — "Lincoln," "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2," "Anna Karenina"
Nov. 21 — "Red Dawn," "The Silver Linings Playbook," "The Guardians," "Hitchcock," "Life of Pi"
Nov. 30 — "Killing Them Softly"