Pushing Tin (1999) 3 stars out of 4. Starring John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie and Vicky Lewis. Directed by Mike Newell.
"Pushing Tin" opens with an impressive aerial shot of jumbo jetliners zooming to and fro over New York.
You are left to ponder how director Mike Newell created this shot. Are they real planes? Is it computer graphics special effects?
It's a dazzling opening and one that hooks you for the story to follow.
For "Pushing Tin" is a character study of the men and women on the ground, the air traffic controllers who every day hold the lives of thousands of passengers in their hands as they direct the busy traffic that criss-crosses the nation's skies
Among these macho men, the balliest and coolest is Nick "The Zone" Falzone (John Cusack), who lines 'em up and brings them in with ease and élan. To Falzone, keeping track of who is where in the sky is the ultimate arcade game and he is the grand master.
That is until the arrival of Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton), a laid-back, Zen-practicing controller who might be considered a bit crazy by his cohorts. It seems Bell once placed himself at the end of the runway to stand in the turbulence wake of a departing 747 just to see what it felt like.
A rivalry soon develops between Falzone, the control freak, and Bell, the motorcycle-riding cowboy.
Air traffic controllers are highly stressed, hard-living individuals who work hard and, in their off hours, play hard.
"Pushing Tin" (an expression for moving aircraft) is a quirky, comic movie that also is a bit disturbing. If you really stop to think about it, would you want to put your life in the hands of these on-the-edge individuals?
You'll have your doubts after watching "Pushing Tin." The average career span of an air traffic controller is about 6 1/2 years, and this movie - the first to really delve into this profession - aptly shows you why. There is no room for error in the air traffic control business. One misstep could cost hundreds of lives.
Yet, "Pushing Tin" does not dwell on the more morbid aspects of the job.
Rather it focuses on the rivalry between Falzone and Bell and the consequences it creates on the ground, which almost crashes and burns one family.
For the movie also looks at the spouses of the controllers and how they must cope with the pressures their mates face.
Russell's wife, Mary (Angelina Jolie), is a dusky, bosomy, beautiful woman who - because of her husband's profession - is an alcoholic. She is introduced at a backyard barbecue, and when she meets the wives of the other controllers, they ask her what number she is. They then explain to her how each of them is not the first wife of their respective spouses.
It seems that most marriages eventually nosedive because of the fallout from the stress of their spouses' jobs.
With his calm detachment on the job, Bell eventually begins to surpass Falzone as the ace controller. Nick has never been challenged, and his reaction is to somehow get back at Russell.
Nick's chance comes when he bumps into Mary crying in the supermarket. Russell has gone off without any explanation - something he does on occasion, Mary explains. Nick convinces Mary to accompany him to dinner. Afterward, he follows her home and spends the night.
The script by brothers Glen Charles and Les Charles, co-creators of the hit TV series "Cheers," follows a path few other movies tread. It shows the repercussions of a one-night stand.
Mary and Nick are wracked with guilt. Mary tells Russell, but Nick cannot bring himself to confess to his wife, Connie (Oscar-nominee Cate Blanchett). This, of course, puts a strain on their marriage, which you get the idea is a bit shaky from the outset.
The last third of "Pushing Tin" cannot sustain what preceded it. It goes soft.
If the film was a controller, it would have been relieved.
But the performances by the four principals, as well as some throw-away touches by the Charles brothers, redeems the effort.
Cusack, as usual, gives a finely honed performance as a man on the edge. He almost reminds you of his stressed-out hit man in "Grosse Point Blank."
Thornton continues to re-invent himself. Here he is lean, meditative, an odd man out, a far cry from the dorky, half-wit character he played in "A Simple Plan."
Blanchett is almost unrecognizable as Connie. Her American accent is near perfect. She is as far removed from a legendary queen as an actress can be.
And Jolie, daughter of Jon Voight, is sexy and vulnerable as Mary Bell.
Among the supporting players, Vicky Lewis has a fine few moments as Tina, one of the controllers. One of the film's best throw-aways shows Tina competing in a women's body building competition. It has nothing to do with the plot, but it helps define her character.
It's those little touches that separate movies. "Pushing Tin" is fun and interesting, a look inside a profession most people know nothing about.
How accurate is it? Who cares. This is supposed to be entertainment, not a documentary.
Fine performances, a solid script and interesting visuals help "Pushing Tin" take off without having to linger on the runway.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or at cbloom@iquest.net
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