"Flight" with Denzel Washington - a must see movie for functioning alcoholics
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Join Date: Jul 2012
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"Flight" with Denzel Washington - a must see movie for functioning alcoholics
Today I went to see the movie Flight about a functioning alcoholic in denial who happens to be a pilot. My husband a functioning alcoholic had no idea what it was about when he picked the movie. If he had, I am sure he never would have gone.
It told the truth in such a realistic way that it was very painful for me and I am sure uncomfortable for husband who is a functioning alcoholic in denial. It was like our lives were being played out on the screen. Like someone read my diary and decided to make a movie of it. At first it was thrilling...but as the movie wore on I felt so tense my lower back was hurting. My husband and I almost never spoke through the movie. I am sure he wanted to get up and leave - but of course he couldn't walk out of the movie for "no reason". Tears ran down my face for at least half of it.
The movie is outstanding and it is getting well deserved Oscar buzz. But my husband just said it was okay. That it was too focused on his "personal life". But I know it made an impact. My husband was able to see himself and how his actions affected others around him. I felt it was very powerful.
I recommend this movie to anyone who has a significant other who is a functioning alcoholic. Go to the movie together with them. I think the movie is very powerful.
Would be interested in hearing other people's feedback on this movie.
It told the truth in such a realistic way that it was very painful for me and I am sure uncomfortable for husband who is a functioning alcoholic in denial. It was like our lives were being played out on the screen. Like someone read my diary and decided to make a movie of it. At first it was thrilling...but as the movie wore on I felt so tense my lower back was hurting. My husband and I almost never spoke through the movie. I am sure he wanted to get up and leave - but of course he couldn't walk out of the movie for "no reason". Tears ran down my face for at least half of it.
The movie is outstanding and it is getting well deserved Oscar buzz. But my husband just said it was okay. That it was too focused on his "personal life". But I know it made an impact. My husband was able to see himself and how his actions affected others around him. I felt it was very powerful.
I recommend this movie to anyone who has a significant other who is a functioning alcoholic. Go to the movie together with them. I think the movie is very powerful.
Would be interested in hearing other people's feedback on this movie.
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NW USA
Posts: 41
I haven't seen it yet, I really want to. There is also a really good book called "Flying Drunk" about an entire flight deck crew getting busted for flying a plane over the .04 limit. They were hung over, but still had it in their systems.
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 8,642
I'm the recovering AW, and I brought my DH to see the movie with me. He had no idea what it was really about..... He thought I just wanted see my favorite actor ( Denzel ) in another great movie. After the movie my DH asked me if I knew beforehand what the movie was about, and was fairly surprised when I said " absolutely, that's why I wanted to see it"..... I thought "Flight" was powerful, disturbing, and, at the end....beautiful! Everyone, alcoholic or not, should see it.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 2,408
Originally Posted by sugarbear1 
an alcoholic is an alcoholic.
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 83
I'd really like to see this film. Thanks for the reminder, I'm making plans as I write.. I'd also like to remind everyone to see the new documentary "Bill W." which I think came out a while ago but for some reason my neighborhood movie house is having a one time screening next Tuesday. Perhaps the same will happen in yours. I wouldn't miss it for the world.
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 24
One thing I didn't like about the movie is the extreme portrayal of alcoholism. I was/am a functional alcoholic, but I have never been as "bad" as the pilot. I have never drunk until passing out, never not been able to resist the expensive mini-bar in a hotel room, never used cocain, only ever really drank enough to keep the shakes away, never chugged vodka, never flown a plane (though I am sure that I have driven when I should not have been) etc. This movie furthers the stereotypical image of an "out of control" alcoholic. I realize that anyone who is alcoholic is out of control, but some of us are able to control a bit, yet are still alcoholics.
This bugs me because:
In my earlier days I would have watched this and thought "Whew! I am not like that, so I guess I am OK". It would have been the perfect excuse to show my wife "See, I am nothing like that" I would like to see a movie that shows a more moderate alcoholic that I can relate to and would not be able to use to excuse myself.
I am quite free to tell friends and acquaintances that I do not drink because I can not because I am an alcoholic, and they are always shocked to hear me say that, because their image is the type of character in this movie. They imagine that an alcoholic never admits it, and is always struggling, lying etc. This is just not true, and this movie just creates a false image in my friends' heads (and my wife's) about what I am like.
Other than that, great movie, and it *did* focus too much on his personal life. I fast forwarded through the scenes with the red-head. The rest of it was very good. I don't see the ending realistically happening, but it makes for good drama.
This bugs me because:
In my earlier days I would have watched this and thought "Whew! I am not like that, so I guess I am OK". It would have been the perfect excuse to show my wife "See, I am nothing like that" I would like to see a movie that shows a more moderate alcoholic that I can relate to and would not be able to use to excuse myself.
I am quite free to tell friends and acquaintances that I do not drink because I can not because I am an alcoholic, and they are always shocked to hear me say that, because their image is the type of character in this movie. They imagine that an alcoholic never admits it, and is always struggling, lying etc. This is just not true, and this movie just creates a false image in my friends' heads (and my wife's) about what I am like.
Other than that, great movie, and it *did* focus too much on his personal life. I fast forwarded through the scenes with the red-head. The rest of it was very good. I don't see the ending realistically happening, but it makes for good drama.
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1
Ohhh....I don't think I agree. That movie was vivid and just really painful for me to watch. I truly think they have an accurate picture of an alcoholic. Except I could have never actually kept that much booze around my house. I was always out! I don't think that the portrayal was too over the top. And it gave a clear picture of the confusion, power struggle, and turmoil an alcoholic feels. That was more poignant to me than his coke use or drunken flying.
Originally Posted by kbeen
One thing I didn't like about the movie is the extreme portrayal of alcoholism. I was/am a functional alcoholic, but I have never been as "bad" as the pilot. I have never drunk until passing out, never not been able to resist the expensive mini-bar in a hotel room, never used cocain, only ever really drank enough to keep the shakes away, never chugged vodka, never flown a plane (though I am sure that I have driven when I should not have been) etc. This movie furthers the stereotypical image of an "out of control" alcoholic. I realize that anyone who is alcoholic is out of control, but some of us are able to control a bit, yet are still alcoholics.
This bugs me because:
In my earlier days I would have watched this and thought "Whew! I am not like that, so I guess I am OK". It would have been the perfect excuse to show my wife "See, I am nothing like that" I would like to see a movie that shows a more moderate alcoholic that I can relate to and would not be able to use to excuse myself.
I am quite free to tell friends and acquaintances that I do not drink because I can not because I am an alcoholic, and they are always shocked to hear me say that, because their image is the type of character in this movie. They imagine that an alcoholic never admits it, and is always struggling, lying etc. This is just not true, and this movie just creates a false image in my friends' heads (and my wife's) about what I am like.
Other than that, great movie, and it *did* focus too much on his personal life. I fast forwarded through the scenes with the red-head. The rest of it was very good. I don't see the ending realistically happening, but it makes for good drama.
This bugs me because:
In my earlier days I would have watched this and thought "Whew! I am not like that, so I guess I am OK". It would have been the perfect excuse to show my wife "See, I am nothing like that" I would like to see a movie that shows a more moderate alcoholic that I can relate to and would not be able to use to excuse myself.
I am quite free to tell friends and acquaintances that I do not drink because I can not because I am an alcoholic, and they are always shocked to hear me say that, because their image is the type of character in this movie. They imagine that an alcoholic never admits it, and is always struggling, lying etc. This is just not true, and this movie just creates a false image in my friends' heads (and my wife's) about what I am like.
Other than that, great movie, and it *did* focus too much on his personal life. I fast forwarded through the scenes with the red-head. The rest of it was very good. I don't see the ending realistically happening, but it makes for good drama.
Sobriety is Traditional
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Posts: 9,066
Just wanted to relate a story...
I love airplanes. I grew up on Maui, and when we moved there in 1967, Kahului Airport only saw propeller planes that flew inter-island; when I moved away in 2004, there were direct flights from all over America.
Around 1995, I had a pretty good idea of what airlines flew which type of planes at certain times. Well, on my way to work one morning, I noticed that Delta's 767 was still at the gate--it usually left in the evening. Was there a mechanical problem?
It seems that while the flight was boarding, there was some commotion when the crew arrived. The pilot was sick--no, he was DRUNK! Because Delta had only a few flights to Hawaii, they had no spare crew so everyone had to spend an extra night in a hotel...
I love airplanes. I grew up on Maui, and when we moved there in 1967, Kahului Airport only saw propeller planes that flew inter-island; when I moved away in 2004, there were direct flights from all over America.
Around 1995, I had a pretty good idea of what airlines flew which type of planes at certain times. Well, on my way to work one morning, I noticed that Delta's 767 was still at the gate--it usually left in the evening. Was there a mechanical problem?
It seems that while the flight was boarding, there was some commotion when the crew arrived. The pilot was sick--no, he was DRUNK! Because Delta had only a few flights to Hawaii, they had no spare crew so everyone had to spend an extra night in a hotel...
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,462
I enjoyed the movie and felt it was very powerful, especially being someone with a drinking problem who can certainly identify, to a point. In a way, I agree with kbeen, but I don't blame the movie or even society. Yes, the stereotypical alcoholic has gotten as bad as he has, and maybe some of us, including myself, have not. But, I think alcoholism is very personal and while we are all the same, we also have different experiences with it, some of us hitting a lower bottom than others. Even though I haven't gotten a DUI, lost my job, my children, or even my reputation, I know that I am addicted to alcohol and that any of those things could be possible if I continued. But even if those events didn't happen, addiction in and of itself keeps us from living life to our fullest potential.
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Midwest USA
Posts: 2,284
I saw the movie and its great. However, I don't believe in the term "functional alcoholic". I think it just means alcoholics who are able to keep a job. If you noticed in the movie, his son hated him. Some people use the term "functional alcoholic" to make themselves feel better. I was able to hold a job for a while but became the stereotype alcoholic.
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 387
Just watched it. I can definitely identify with the inability to tell another lie and the inability to live that way for one more day. It's easier to deal with the consequences of telling the truth than it is to live another day drinking.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
Originally Posted by anew
Just watched it. I can definitely identify with the inability to tell another lie and the inability to live that way for one more day. It's easier to deal with the consequences of telling the truth than it is to live another day drinking.
New and learning
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 85
I just watched this movie last weekend........on my sober Day 7. I had no idea what it was going to be like. I was very glad I had decided to stop drinking and read so much on SR before watching i Had good conversation with my husband on the progression of alcoholism, and realistically what was happening with Denzel. Really got to me and thankful I had decided to stop. Today is the end of Day 15.
Recognizes the Beast
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: In the kitchen, cooking up a storm
Posts: 704
Agree with most of what everyone is saying here. Kbeen, good observation. I certainly had the power to constrain myself for the sake of my professional life (or at least that's what I believed, the reality now that I look back is probably somewhat different) and I never used coke either.
But I absolutely loved the ending when he was in prison but said for the first time in his life felt free. That I can relate to. When I was drinking I never realized how heavy the chains were. Sobriety has made me free in a way that I could never understand or believe when I was drinking.
But I absolutely loved the ending when he was in prison but said for the first time in his life felt free. That I can relate to. When I was drinking I never realized how heavy the chains were. Sobriety has made me free in a way that I could never understand or believe when I was drinking.
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