Pushing Tin (1999)

Truly Dreadful Film

People are voting emotionally.

As Good As It Gets

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

"Pushing Tin" tells the story of a charismatic aircraft controller, who seems to have it all: Success, a beautiful wife and the respect of his friends. When a new controller enters the scene, all of this seems in doubt due to his aura and extraordinary talent, that soon finds the two of them fighting for the lead position in this game.I really have to say that this movie kept me entertained throughout all of its playtime. You really want to know what is about to happen and the producers very sensitively built up the conflict, in order to get the audience emotionally involved and keep the actions more or less plausible. Unfortunately, especially the beginning and the end of the film are very stereotypical Hollywood settings, with very one-dimensional winner-characters and a not so surprising happy end. In my eyes, there would have been potential for an even better film without this will to follow old paths.All in all this is a beautiful little film, perfect for a date night or if you want to get your head free. It takes its plot serious without touching big topics or leaving you depressed.

Pretty standard fluff movie, there's not a lot to say about it. That kind of John Cusack mix of drama and comedy that I always enjoy, although something about it felt off. The main character is too hard to like, although I did enjoy Cusack since I think it's impossible for me not to, and none of the people surrounding him were very interesting or entertaining. The kind of thing that can keep my attention late at night before I go to bed, but certainly isn't anything special at all.They try to do some interesting things with the characters once or twice, the darkness of having that kind of job, but pretty quickly move on to something more conventional and easy. I have a firm dislike of Billy Bob Thornton, so I'm glad this focused almost primarily on Cusack and I think I got the most out of it that someone could. Cate Blanchett was strangely awful in it, though, and oh my god hilariously bad Angelina Jolie. Still, okay John Cusack movie and that was all that I wanted.

Pushing tin is a confusing piece of work. I was under the impression it would be a story about air traffic controllers, but it is not. This is in fact a pure love/romance drama, and the traffic controller setting could really be swapped with anything else - it plays a very minor role and does not contribute anything interesting to the story at all. I believe the story writer wanted to make it attractive to a broader audience (not only girls) and decided to throw aviation into the mix to lure their boyfriends into the cinemas. A clever trick maybe, but an ugly one. Actors are OK though, Thornton in particular, so if you are a fan of love/romance dramas, maybe give it a try. Otherwise Ground Control, which is a REAL movie about air controllers, will be a much better choice.

I didn't actually watch for about an hour or so, but from what I made out, not a bad film, from director Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). Basically Nick 'The Zone' Falzone (John Cusack) is one of many air traffic controllers at New York airport, a fast-paced job with a no-room-for-error attitude, Connie (Cate Blanchett) as his wife, and the reputation as the king of "pushing tin". But then enters reckless new transfer Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton), and so begins a quiet little battle for ego and status. You could question whether Nick slept with Russell's wife Mary (Angelina Jolie, Thornton's real wife at the time) for an ego boost or for genuine affection, but either way, Russell is very quietly planning something as payback. When a big emergency occurs at the airport, something to do with some terrorists hijacking planes or something, only Nick and Russell stay behind, and when it's all over, Russell is presented as the hero, Nick is presented as a wimp. I can't really remember how everything is settled in the end, but it is. Also starring Jake Weber as Barry Plotkin, Kurt Fuller as Ed Clabes, Vicki Lewis as Tina Leary and Matt Ross as Ron Hewitt. With good performances by Cusack and Thornton, and a good behind-the-scenes insight into the airport world, it is I suppose a likable comedy drama. Worth watching!