Denzel Washington. 'Nuff said. He carries this film from beginning to end. He breathes life into 'Whip' Whitacre, a hard-living airline pilot and full-time douchebag. As the film begins, Whitacre snorts a toot of cocaine before heading out to fly a commercial aircraft. If you know anything about this movie, you know that early on, there is a serious problem with the aircraft. 'Whip' saves the day, but lands in hot water. Robert Zemeckis' directs with aplomb, and there are good turns by John Goodman, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly and Bruce Greenwood. But this is Denzel's show. In one of his best performances, (and in some ways a dry run for his work in 'Fences') he makes us understand how this man repeatedly makes the wrong choices, until it's too late.
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James Franco has created a poignant, hilarious comedy about the making of the worst movie ever. His performance anchors the film, and he clearly cares about his character. He has an aptitude for directing comedy that Phil felt was sorely missing in his serious adaptations of Faulkner novels. Andrew also really liked this film, another solid A24 release. Our two hosts debate the bona fides of the central friendship, which is based on real life, but seems unlikely.
