Flight (Flight)

Production and year: USA, 2012 Original title: Flight Director: Robert Zemeckis Genre: Drama Cast: Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly Medical themes: alcoholism, cocaine addiction Description: The best film about alcoholism I’ve ever seen. It tells the story of a man who is an excellent pilot. With great skills, but also extraordinary intuition. Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) perfectly balances his work with the addictions that plague him. He wakes up in the morning in bed with a beautiful flight attendant, starts the day with a double drink to cure a three-day hangover, then a “line” of cocaine, plus strong black coffee, and he’s fully ready to pilot the massive aircraft. He is even prepared for a sudden aircraft malfunction. At the decisive moment, when the plane rapidly loses altitude, the pilot decides to pull up, thereby saving the lives of nearly a hundred people. After the crash, he ends up in the hospital, where toxicology test results detect cocaine and elevated ethanol levels in his system. Lawyers and airline officials come to his aid. It seems that Whip will once again emerge from the situation unscathed. However, as we observe him, we gradually begin to understand how deeply his addictions affect the pilot’s life. There is also the story of two—or rather three—empty vodka bottles found on board. A very moving film. It depicts alcoholism in its purest form, seemingly focusing on entirely different issues. The drug problem is illustrated even more clearly through the storyline of Nicole (Reilly), whom fate brings together with Whip. Although the main character’s “cocaine binges” also give pause for thought.