SOUND REPLY - SULLY | KAIROS GLOBAL | MARCH 2019

Author: Joseph Anthraper

Shakespeare famously wrote, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Greatness – all of us aspire to it one way or other. It is typical of young children to adore (fictional or real) superheroes, dreaming and aspiring to be like them and one day growing up and saving the world from the evil of Lex Luthers, Jokers and their ilk. As we grow older, all of us, some more than the rest (but even the best among us, at least on the odd occasion), rail at the mundaneness of life. The call and the urge to something bigger and stupendous, rising above and beyond the constraints and restrictions imposed by nature, nurture and societies, it seems, is inherent in each human being.

“Sully” narrates the real-life story of greatness being thrust upon one such unassuming man by circumstances and his grappling with all that it entails – the fame, the questions, the self-doubt and the post-traumatic stress. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the film is based on the 2009 emergency landing of US Airways flight 1549 on the Hudson river by Captain Chesley Sullenberger and first officer Jeff Skiles. Tom Hanks plays the title role of Captain Sully – and reminiscent of some of his glorious performances of the past (in and as Forrest Gump or Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan), Hanks owns the character to such a perfection that it is hard to imagine someone else in that role.

The movie follows the events of January 15, 2009 when Captain Sully landed the aircraft on Hudson river as both the engines of flight 1549 failed after a flock of birds flew directly into the airplane, shortly after its take off from LaGuardia Airport in New York city. Although the whole world lauds Sully as a hero for his maneuverer that saved the life all 155 people on board, turning him into an instant celebrity, the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) opens an investigation into the incident. The ACARS data indicates that the left engine might still have been running after the bird strike, and to make matters worse, Airbus’s simulations show that even with both engines failing, there was enough thrust in the aircraft to safely land the airplane in one of the nearby airports. The film deals with Sully’s trauma of a near-death experience, combined with his doubts of whether his decision was indeed the right one, the family’s struggles with coping with unexpected stardom, as well as handling and managing the hostility of NTSB with good judgement and sapience.

The world loves its heroes, but not many ‘heroes’ handle well the consequences of being in the spotlight. Just look around, our time is filled with the sad stories of idols who have failed miserably in life – from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston, Lindsay Lohan, Tiger Woods, Marilyn Monroe, Prince; the list is endless and sadly, ever-growing. Though catapulted into stardom and having become an overnight sensation, it’s refreshing to see how Sully has both feet firmly on ground, navigating the tricky waters of fame and glory with poise, and an abundance of wisdom.

Christian life is a call to greatness, with each of us being called to a life of grandeur and splendour in Christ – some in a radical way, while many others in a way oblivious to the people around. Yet, this is a greatness that is never thrust upon us, but one that each of us has to personally choose, by consciously “striving to enter through the narrow door”.

Running at just over 90 minutes, ‘Sully’ is a riveting human story of the sheer goodness inherent in humanity. Following a non-linear structure in narrating the story, it is a wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable watch for teens, youth and adults.

Joseph Anthraper lives in Southampton with his wife Mahima and kids Anna-Claire, John-Paul and Samuel-Joseph, and loves reading, movies and theology. He is part of the Kairos Global Editorial Council.