The 2016 film Sully was based on the autobiography Highest Duty written by pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and journalist Jeffrey Zaslow, dealing with Sullenberger's January 2009 emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River that saw all 155 crew and passengers survive due to his quick-thinking. And while the script was ultimately written by Todd Komarnicki, Sullenberger had a lot of say in the film's direction. From the start, Sullenberger wanted the film to encompass "that sense of our common humanity", noting that the incident had taken place shortly after the 2008 Great Recession. He explains:
"People were wondering if everything was about self-interest and greed. They were doubting human nature. Then all these people acted together, selflessly, to get something really important done. In a way, I think it gave everyone a chance to have hope, at a time when we all needed it."
It makes sense that the man was embodied by everyman Tom Hanks, especially given the idealistic nature of Sullenberger. Hopefully, the film did inspire a few people in the audience. Stay tuned!
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