I also saw the movie. I'm in recovery (05/24/09) and that scene in the hotel room is bone chilling! Denzel pulls it off so realistically that he either has struggled with addiction or had someone coach him on how to portray it. Anyone who's been addicted KNOWS that when he finds the stash of alcohol there is NO WAY he's NOT going to drink it all! I had 3 years sober when I saw the movie. I truly never understood until I got sober that one IS too many and a thousand is never enough. I used the same knowledge to finally quit smoking after trying to quit for 30 years! I just watched the scene again and had the same reaction: complete terror! Thank you for sharing.
Ouch. This one’s close to the bone - because it was the film the counsellors in rehab made us watch. I’m not sure I could watch it again even 12 years on.
I love Flight so much because it's ostensibly a movie about a plane crash, and yes, they have a huge plane crash with crazy good special effects at the beginning, but the rest of the movie is a drama about this guy's addiction. and that part is good! Denzel Washington plays the role really well - really like the risk he took in playing a dark character who is not going to do what the audience wants.
I watched my Dad struggle with alcohol until he died. He was running from something. I started down the same road in college, and then the Navy didn't slow me down; my drinking accelerated. When I left the Navy, I met Hal, and I kept on drinking. For some wonderful reason, in less than 6 months, I stopped drinking completely without consciously trying. I found the person that I was supposed to find, and we’re still together 26 years later.
Denzel’s performance in this film, especially the courtroom scenes, stay with me. It’s an imperfect movie but as always, his delivery is perfection. It’s why he’s the undisputed greatest living actor.
As good as Mickey Rourke was in Barfly, the movie was far too romantic about alcoholism. Trees Lounge gets it right. The bleakness. Buscemi is great. He directed it too. You'll recognize a bunch of actors who later appeared in The Sopranos. Samuel L. Jackson has a memorable cameo. And Mark Boone Junior's performance pretty much steals the show.
In my view, one of the most horrifying and poignant alcoholic scenes ever was in “The Verdict.” Towards the beginning of the movie, Paul Newman‘s character Frank Galvin is feeling a little shaky. He pours himself a drink, and his hands are trembling so badly that he can’t pick up the glass for fear of spilling it. So he leans down and takes the first couple of sips from the glass, which is sitting on a table. It’s sort of heartbreaking and perfect at the same time.
That scene with the unlocked adjoining door is one of the most accurate depictions of addiction I've ever seen on screen. No dramatic confrontation, no spectacular fall — just a quiet door opening, and we all know exactly what comes next. Washington conveys more in a single glance than most actors manage in an entire monologue. And that moment at the hearing when Whip stops lying — that's it exactly. Recovery doesn't begin when we lose everything. It begins when we stop running from the truth.
ugh yes! this movie, that scene and his performance have stuck with me like glue since i saw it in 2012. it's probably the film i think about most often!
I also saw the movie. I'm in recovery (05/24/09) and that scene in the hotel room is bone chilling! Denzel pulls it off so realistically that he either has struggled with addiction or had someone coach him on how to portray it. Anyone who's been addicted KNOWS that when he finds the stash of alcohol there is NO WAY he's NOT going to drink it all! I had 3 years sober when I saw the movie. I truly never understood until I got sober that one IS too many and a thousand is never enough. I used the same knowledge to finally quit smoking after trying to quit for 30 years! I just watched the scene again and had the same reaction: complete terror! Thank you for sharing.
Ouch. This one’s close to the bone - because it was the film the counsellors in rehab made us watch. I’m not sure I could watch it again even 12 years on.
I love Flight so much because it's ostensibly a movie about a plane crash, and yes, they have a huge plane crash with crazy good special effects at the beginning, but the rest of the movie is a drama about this guy's addiction. and that part is good! Denzel Washington plays the role really well - really like the risk he took in playing a dark character who is not going to do what the audience wants.
Yeah. Agree. Love that movie. Authentic and compelling for sure. Rings true.
I watched my Dad struggle with alcohol until he died. He was running from something. I started down the same road in college, and then the Navy didn't slow me down; my drinking accelerated. When I left the Navy, I met Hal, and I kept on drinking. For some wonderful reason, in less than 6 months, I stopped drinking completely without consciously trying. I found the person that I was supposed to find, and we’re still together 26 years later.
I'm so sorry about your dad, but very glad you were able to live a different life!
Thank you.
Me and Hal
Can't get picture to post 😡
Denzel’s performance in this film, especially the courtroom scenes, stay with me. It’s an imperfect movie but as always, his delivery is perfection. It’s why he’s the undisputed greatest living actor.
You picked a great one! Now I want to rewatch that last scene in the NTSB hearing — really some of Denzel’s greatest acting in that scene
I remember still being in my 90 in 90 phase when my home group had a get together to watch this movie. That was so heartbreaking.
Also, the old timers all laughed to hard, which I didn't get at the time.
Thank you for this. I was married for 10 years to an alcoholic whom I deeply loved. Everything you describe in your post hits home.
When he’s deciding whether to take the minibar bottle, leaves it alone, then comes back and grabs it…I think about that scene at least once a week.
Nice analysis. It’s a really great film.
Love this movie. Washington nails the never-ending private emergency that is addiction.
My fav depiction of the kind of drinker who promises he's gonna quit but probably won't is Steve Buscemi in Trees Lounge.
Oooh I haven’t seen it but I love Steve buscemi!! Will add it to my list
Right on! I'd like to know what you think of it.
As good as Mickey Rourke was in Barfly, the movie was far too romantic about alcoholism. Trees Lounge gets it right. The bleakness. Buscemi is great. He directed it too. You'll recognize a bunch of actors who later appeared in The Sopranos. Samuel L. Jackson has a memorable cameo. And Mark Boone Junior's performance pretty much steals the show.
In my view, one of the most horrifying and poignant alcoholic scenes ever was in “The Verdict.” Towards the beginning of the movie, Paul Newman‘s character Frank Galvin is feeling a little shaky. He pours himself a drink, and his hands are trembling so badly that he can’t pick up the glass for fear of spilling it. So he leans down and takes the first couple of sips from the glass, which is sitting on a table. It’s sort of heartbreaking and perfect at the same time.
Ooooh I haven’t seen that one. Will add it to my list
4 years sober and the sound of the seal breaking on that bottle still rattles something deep within me.
That scene with the unlocked adjoining door is one of the most accurate depictions of addiction I've ever seen on screen. No dramatic confrontation, no spectacular fall — just a quiet door opening, and we all know exactly what comes next. Washington conveys more in a single glance than most actors manage in an entire monologue. And that moment at the hearing when Whip stops lying — that's it exactly. Recovery doesn't begin when we lose everything. It begins when we stop running from the truth.
Ooh a Denzel movie I haven’t seen! This seems very compelling, if perhaps hard to watch.
ooh let me know what you think (if you end up watching it)
ugh yes! this movie, that scene and his performance have stuck with me like glue since i saw it in 2012. it's probably the film i think about most often!
Me too. I saw it back then as well when it first came out. Potent and accurate. Nails addiction.