Movie Reviews: Girl on the Train & Sully

By Vallen Driggers on October 14, 2016

Last weekend was officially the first time yet in this semester that I have had a moment to breathe. That moment has since passed. However, I was finally able to end my ridiculously long absence from the movie theater during that brief, glorious time.

Seriously, I have not been to see a movie since early August. And, in my house, that’s kind of a crazy long time. So naturally I went to see two movies while the opportunity was mine.

Up first, The Girl on the Train.

www.terracetheatre.com

I first heard about this movie quite some time ago and have since been psyched to see it.  The trailer is phenomenal. In a world where too many trailers make me want to scream at the television, this one grabbed my attention (They just show way too much, okay? Don’t tell me everything that’s going to happen!). I was intrigued and made a note to see this at first chance.

I was disappointed to find that the early reviews did not seem to show the movie living up to what I thought it could be. Even now, GotT only has 43 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. I decided to give it a shot regardless. And I am quite glad I did.

One thing that everyone seems to agree on, despite how they may feel about the movie, is that Emily Blunt was phenomenal. Her portrayal of a blackout drunk divorcee in search of answers is essentially what carries the movie. I can admit that, even though I don’t think it is the only thing this movie has to offer. Many have said that it is, that her performance is what kept the movie on the rails, if you will. She was truly amazing. The supporting cast was quite good as well, although they do pale a bit in comparison.

Now it seems to be that a large problem for most people was the way in which you received the information, as it is largely showed by way of irregular and chaotic flashbacks. I, for one, found this to be extremely effective for the kind of story being told. The film reveals just enough to string you along until the next reveal. And there IS some reveal at the end. I found my hand over my mouth at more than one point. Maybe the ending won’t shock you, but I saw this with a friend who is basically a movie psychic, and he was even caught off guard.

Another way the irregularity of the flashbacks works in the film is to make you uneasy. This is an uneasy film. It’s tense, it’s anxious, and it’s meant to leave you with that a twisted feeling in your gut. And, at the end of it all, I honestly left the theater with that same feeling. But I can realize that this is what the movie more than likely intended to do, so I accept that feeling of “oh wow people really suck.”

I could find no major reasons to fault The Girl on the Train. It wasn’t perfect and does take some time to really get going, but on the whole I would recommend it. 8/10.

Now for Sully.

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/

For those of you who might not know, Sully is the story of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (played by Tom Hanks) who, in 2009, successfully landed a plane on the Hudson River. He was forced to do so after a flock of geese took out both engines. That’s right. BIRDS. Birds were responsible for taking down a plane full of passengers. That just completely blows my mind.

However, even under such dire circumstances, Sully was able to land the plan in the river and, through the combined efforts of the crew and first responders, all 155 passengers survived. I tell you this because it’s not spoilers in the least. All of this can be found in the plot description. That and it is based on a true story so many people already know how this plays out. I am always skeptical of movies that fall under that category because I wonder how they will make me interested in something that I already know the outcome for. Sully does it wonderfully.

While the film tells you almost immediately the results of what happened that day, it spends the rest of its time debating whether or not Capt. Sully really made the right call that day. Could he have made a less dangerous decision? Sully struggles with his inner demons that cry out that he could have done better, that he put everyone’s life at risk for no reason.

http://abc7ny.com/

Seeing the great struggle that this was for everyone involved was kind of shocking. On the surface of it all, it seems pretty open and shut. No one died. There were very few injuries. All 155 people on that plane made it home safe and sound. How is there any doubt that Captain Sullenberger is a hero? The film dives into all the different perspectives of the situation, and it never once feels boring.

Similar to Girl on the Train, Sully also reveals information to the viewer through intermittent flashbacks. We learn more about Sully as a man, the passengers of the plane, and what it feels like to have your whole life and career ride on one split-second decision.

Not going to lie, there were a few times during the film where I teared up. The events, the people become so real to you throughout the film that you feel at least a sliver of their emotions, and it makes the movie that much more endearing.

Cinematically, Sully is very well done, letting the story tell itself. One of my favorite things filmmakers can do in a narrative format is to make the transitions, effects, and other cinematic elements almost unnoticeable. Still good, but where they do not distract you from what is happening, rather enhancing the viewing experience. This is done marvelously.

Sully was extremely enjoyable, heartfelt, and something I would recommend to almost anyone. My only critique is that it can feel a bit repetitive at some points and some of the background information feels like it’s only operating as a time filler. But, overall, Tom Hanks does an amazing job as Sully and director, Clint Eastwood has created a poignant account of one of America’s greatest pilots. 8.5/10.

Both Sully and The Girl on the Train are in Tallahassee theaters now.

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