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| Directed by Mike Newell; Starring John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie, Jake Webster, Kurt Fuller, Vicki Lewis, Matt Ross, Jerry Grayson, Michael Willis, Philip Akin, Mike O’Malley, Neil Crone, Matt Gordon, and Joe Pingue |
Some could say that I do not fare to well with Mike Newell. When his sloppy Four Weddings & a Funeral was out and adored by many, I was trying to get attention to Pulp Fiction, Ed Wood, and Quiz Show. His An Awfully Big Adventure came dreadfully close to being on my bottom ten list for 1995. In fact the only Newell film I’ve really liked was Donnie Brasco, whose success was thanks much more to its acting than the literal direction that Newell took.
That same problem with actors overpowering the show is present in Pushing Tin. An unbelievable cast, including Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton, BAFTA winner Cate Blanchett, Golden Globe winner Angelina Jolie, and yet-to-win-an-award-but-always-great John Cusack, takes this otherwise only script happy film to a recommendation. Jolie puts forth her best performance yet and Blanchett (whom I’ve watched closely ever since Oscar & Lucinda) proves that she can act even further than playing stuffy British royals. My only problem in the acting department would be Thornton, who seems rather sub-par though that could be blamed on the writer (read further).
The film attempts to be a M*A*S*H for air traffic controllers. It follows a hot shot controller (Cusack) at the hardest of all places for air space: New York City. Everything seems okay until a flashy new controller comes along (Thornton) and the two go into a big feud that seeps down to their wives (Blanchett and Jolie, respectively).
The script is really good with funny areas and great site gags. There are only two bad parts of the script. First of all they attempt to make the Thornton character have a few too many layers as his more congenial side made me hate him even more than Cusack. The other problem is in the ending. I shall not give away the ending but it is just as sappy as the poor ending of Newell’s Four Weddings & a Funeral. Not perfect, but enjoyable.
