Synopsis
Sully is a gripping biographical drama, directed by Clint Eastwood in 2016, that depicts the life and times of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. Featuring Tom Hanks in the titular role, the film revisits the iconic event of US Airways Flight 1549 which experienced a dual engine failure mid-flight on January 15, 2009, forcing it to make an emergency landing on the Hudson River. What sets Sully apart from other reenactments of the miraculous landing is the humane examination of the pilot’s emotional state and the bureaucratic whirlwind that followed afterwards.
Sully’s narrative is structured in non-linear fashion. Instead of starting with the crash event, the film begins in the days following the incident. Captain Sullenberger is dealing with the consequences of the event such as media frenzy, public recognition, alongside an overwhelming NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) inquiry. His public persona is that of a celebrated hero, while the NTSB seems to have a vastly different view: questioning whether the aircraft could have landed at an adjacent airport instead of the Hudson.Both inquiries intertwine with the film’s main conflict. Sully is depicted much more than a heroic pilot; he is also a man grappling with frozen self-doubt and trepidation. He experiences traumatic flashbacks and dreams where he endlessly dreads the crash happening in various, often catastrophic, styles. These moments capture the immense burden he carries in the belief that the decision which seems to have cost people’s lives could now ruin their career.
Several other flashbacks are key to the investigation. The most remarkable one is the detailed recreation of the illusion “Miracle on the Hudson””. On that day, flight 1549 is scheduled to leave New York on a direct flight to “ La Guardia airport from ““ La Guardia airport. The plane is full, containing about one hundred and something passengers. Only minutes in, a group of Canadian geese rush into the plane and demolish both engines. With so much altitude and no power left, Sully, along with First Officer Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) slowly began to assess their options. Air control was offering several emergency landing zones, including Teterboro and even back into LaGuardia, but in a flash of madness, sully decides to attempt returning.
Displaying remarkable calm and command, Sully glides the plane onto the Hudson River. All 155 passengers and crew survive. The water landing — flawlessly executed amid freezing temperatures and urban congestion — becomes a global news sensation. New Yorkers celebrate the pilot’s courage, and the media dubs it the “Miracle on the Hudson.”
The film spends more time examining what comes after. The NTSB conducts computer simulations and suggests, based on test data, that a safe return to LaGuardia might have been possible. In contrast, Sully and Skiles believe the simulations overlook a vital aspect: “human reaction time,” or the delay in cognition due to assessing a situation. It shifts the inquiry from one of empirical truths to a blend of feud with principles, judgment, and deductive reasoning of Sully’s instincts from years of experience.
In a crucial hypothetical during a public hearing hearing, Sully orders that live pilots take over and execute all simulated time lags to observe realistic conditions. Their results reveal that all returned to the airports were bound to fail or had unsafe margins. This ultimately affirms that landing in the Hudson was the only safe and feasible option, validating Sully’s decision.
The closing scene of the movie shows Sully being exonerated from any suspected wrongdoing and officially considered a hero by the aviation authorities. When he was asked if he would have done anything differently, his answer was quite simple. “I would have done it in July,” referring to the January frozen waters.
Casts & Crew
His performance is Tom Hanks as Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger
Hanks performance was reserved, but still powerful. His Sully is not the superhuman disaster-hero to be saved in the modern disaster film, but a sailor-shaped, an experienced and professional man operating by heart, whose sheer essence is tinted with conscience. Hanks gives a compelling reading of a person who is openly hailed, but deeply in mental and systemic anguish.
Aaron Eckhart, Skipper Jeff Skiles
Eckhart brings warmth and humor to his role as Sully’s faithful co-pilot, which is relatable. The charm between him and Hanks is what drives the film, particularly when they contest the NTSB’s rigid interpretations of the flight data.
Laura Linney as Lorraine Sullenberger
Linney plays the role of Sully’s wife who mostly appears in the film through phone calls. Though her role on the screen is limited, it highlight’s the lens into family life behind public personas, showcasing the intense scrutiny and pressure facing families of dual public figures.
Directed by Clint Eastwood
True to form, Eastwood maintains his distinctive approach to directing with characteristic directness and avoidance of excess. Unlike many contemporary directors, he does not indulge in melodrama, preferring instead to focus on realism, character depth, and moral conflict. His style respects the material and allows the story to unfold.
Written by Todd Komarnicki
The screenplay, derived from Sully’s memoir (Highest Duty), elicits powerful feelings from the audience while paying close attention to the heroism that emerges in light of structural scrutiny and judgments in the aftermath of events.
Cinematography by Tom Stern
The visuals are sharp yet realistic, particularly during the intense and realistic crash scene. Stern effectively captures the New York skyline as well as the suffocating interiors of buildings.
Music by Christian Jacob, The Tierney Sutton Band
The score is subtle and soft, with dialogue and the emotional context of the film being emphasized without overshadowing the visuals in any way. The film’s grounded nature is supported by the score’s reserve.
IMDb Ratings
As of 2025, with over a quarter of a million ratings from users, Sully is rated 7.4/10 on IMDb. The film garnered over $240 million worldwide while having a budget of roughly $60 million, making it both commercially and critically successful.
Part of the critics’ balance of emotion, realism, procedural tension, and flow-integrating tuning were touches of creativity that highlighted the film. Hanks’ performance is often debated to be the best of the year, yet he lacked an Academy Award nomination — something that was hotly contested by the public and was critical for debate. The meticulous detail in the film, particularly the water landing as well The psychological aftermath was also delivered beautifully, which stood out. While some viewers pointed out the film was character-driven in its approach to pacing and traditional suspense, most audience appreciated the slow-paced investigation.
Conclusion
The scrutiny after the incident that Hanks courageously faced on-screen in the film ‘Sully’ not only displayed the courage one might need during an emergency, but redefined the meaning of courage altogether. It is less about the crashing attention of a plummeting aircraft; rather, on the blaring silence of decision making, boundless professionalism, along with the dignity of a man who’s unbothered by the chaos that ensued – all while 155 lives scored on the opportunity for being alive.
Sully overruns typical disaster biopics due to Hank’s gripping display performance in combination with expertly directed Eastwood. The film examines heroism not as a drawing single singular feat, but lifelong undying commitment to skillful integrity and compassion. A tribute to human nature benifiting Chow to further appreciate character focused narratives, the film stands being deeply moving and remarkably unforgettable.
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