Clint Eastwood’s riveting dramaSullyis currently streaming on Max, and the film’s sudden boost in popularity is a sharp reminder of just how underrated this project has been. The movie tells the real-life story of a commercial pilot named Captain Chesley who makes an emergency landing on the Hudson River after his plane is damaged during a flight. It’s an extremely tense and gripping story about how split-second decisions can define our lives, and it remains one ofClint Eastwood’s best-directed movies.
And yet, despite the level of talent both in front and behind the camera,Sullyis still a hugely underrated moviethat doesn’t always receive the recognition that it deserves. Although the film was popular on release and gave a much-needed boost to Eastwood’s reputation as a modern director, it seems to have exited the cultural consciousness in recent years - particularly in comparison to other projects from 2016. It’s rarely considered amongTom Hanks’ best movies, despite his powerhouse performance and the obvious storytelling ability on display.
Clint Eastwood & Tom Hanks' Biopic Sully Is One Of 2016’s Best Movies
The Drama Deserves More Respect For Its Gripping Story
Despite being less than ten years old,Sullyis a reminder of the kinds of adult dramas that just aren’t popular anymore. Its storytelling is slow and methodical, andEastwood knows exactly how to use his charactersto develop the film’s themes in fascinating and unconventional ways. There isn’t a single wasted scene in its 90-minute runtime; even those moments that don’t seem important on the surface end up being crucial to understandingSully’s message about the dangers of operating outside of the handbook and following instincts instead of instructions.
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As with most of Clint Eastwood’s movies,Sullywas expected to be a major awards player at the 2017 Academy Awards, but the film didn’t quite manage to receive the Best Picture nomination that many were anticipating. This was a huge disappointment and an undeniable hit to the movie’s reputation, as it was overshadowed by several other mid-budget dramas that critics simply enjoyed more. Additionally,Sullyhas been overshadowed within the director’s catalog byClint Eastwood’s other movies that performed better at the Oscars.
Tom Hanks Was Snubbed Of A Best Actor Oscar Nomination For Sully
The Actor Deserved More Awards Attention For His Role
The final nail inSully’s coffin was Tom Hanks’ failure to secure the Best Actor nomination at the Oscars for his work in the movie, which was considered a shoo-in upon its release.The academy decided instead to reward Casey Affleckfor his work inManchester By The Sea, which is admittedly one of his strongest performances to date. The other nominations went to Denzel Washington forFences, Viggo Mortensen forCaptain Fantastic, Andrew Garfield forHacksaw Ridge, and Ryan Gosling forLa La Land.
This was one of the most stacked Best Actor lineups in the history of the Academy Awards, but while every single actor was deserving of their nomination, it’s still shocking that Tom Hanks didn’t make the cut.
This was one of the most stacked Best Actor lineups in the history of the Academy Awards, but while every single actor was deserving of their nomination, it’s still shocking that Tom Hanks didn’t make the cut.His work inSullyis some of his best; it’s emotional and vulnerable in all the right measures, but it’s also very intense in the film’s more action-packed moments. It may not bethe biggest Oscar snub of all time, but it was a major surprise nonetheless.
Sully Was A Surprisingly Big Box Office Hit In 2016
The Film Outgrossed Most Of Hanks' Recent Movies At The Time
Beyond its critical acclaim and excellent lead performance,Sullyalso performed extremely well at the box office. The film grossed $35 million in its opening weekend and went on to collect a further $208 million across the world, for a total gross of $243 million (viaBox Office Mojo). This was extremely impressive for a non-franchise movie that’s essentially aimed exclusively at adults and considered by many to merely be an awards player. These kinds of films don’t often perform too well at the box office, butSully’s star power and acclaimed director made it an exception.
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Sully’s box office success was also a much-needed win for Tom Hanks, whose previous dramas hadn’t been performing as well as the actor had surely hoped.Bridge of Spieswas released the preceding year and grossed just $165 million across the world, while Disney’sSaving Mr. Bankscollected $117 million in 2013. These were disappointing numbers for an actor who was once considered the biggest draw in Hollywood, soSullywas a much-needed return to form.
The reason forSully’ssuccess at the box office can be credited to two major factors: firstly, the real-life story of Captain Sullenberger’s emergency landing was still fresh in the minds of Americans, having taken place just seven years before the film’s release. Secondly, Eastwood’s previous filmAmerican Sniperhad also been a huge hit, securing a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. The combination of these two factors clearly incentivized many people to seek out the movie who otherwise may have passed on it. And yet,Sullystill doesn’t rank amongClint Eastwood’s highest-grossing movies.
Juror No. 2 Is Now Clint Eastwood’s Best Directed Movie Since Sully
The Director’s Recent Project Is A Comforting Return To Form
Since the release ofSully, Eastwood has struggled to find the same level of acclaim with any of his recent movies - until last year’sJuror #2.The director’s most recent movie was nowhere near as commercially successful asSully, but it was a huge player with critics and widely loved by those few audiences who did see it. The courtroom thriller follows a young man who’s summoned to jury service, where he realizes that he’s actually responsible for the crime that’s being investigated in court.
With an excellent lead performance from Nicholas Hoult, a gripping screenplay by Jonathan Abrams, and reliably keen direction from Clint Eastwood,Juror #2is an excellent movie that criminally underperformed at the box office. It’s the kind of story that takes an incredibly simple concept and stretches it to its limits, without ever letting it break under the pressure. Eastwood takes the audience on a wild ride of highs and lows, forging a complex protagonist whose ambiguous morals and ulterior motives make him endlessly intriguing to watch. It’s the director’s first project to rivalSully,but hopefully not his last.
Sully
Cast
Sully is a 2016 biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks as Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. The movie is based on the true story of the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson” emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549, in which Sullenberger successfully landed the plane on the Hudson River, saving all 155 passengers and crew members on board.
