Spoiler Space is a dedicated discussion area for people who have already seen a movie and want to talk about plot details we'd rather not reveal in our review. While we don’t promise spoilers for every film, here’s where you can discuss them to your hearts’ content.
Though I remained intentionally vague about the specifics of Flight’s plot, there movie has no big twist to spoil. So consider this a space for those who’ve seen the film to discuss what happens in a bit more detail. There’s one scene in particular that we’ve been talking about at The A.V. Club, though, and that’s the climax, where Washington’s character finally decides to stop lying. I love it. I think it bookends nicely with the beginning. Here’s a guy who’s just barely gotten away with everything his whole life, looking at a chance to get away with it one last time. And he blinks. He’s done running, and ready for his choices to catch up with him. It worked for me. Tasha Robinson felt otherwise, and we’ve been talking about that. We’re both eager to see your comments below.
Beyond that, I’m not sure I heaped enough praise on Kelly Reilly in the review. She’s terrific in this, and it’s a little disappointing when she leaves the film, even though her character’s departure makes dramatic sense. She can’t be in that situation any longer, and when people live like the protagonist lives, people around him have a habit of disappearing.
Also, it’s remarkable to me that a film could stay gripping throughout after getting its Big Scene out of the way so early. For those who’ve seen it, do you see what I mean by it being physically upsetting? It gave me a taste of what those made ill by The Blair Witch Project must have felt. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, but part of me couldn’t wait for it to end. I breathed an audible sigh of relief at the end. (Sorry, fellow Chicago critics.)