Movie Info

Blessed by a fantastic cast and slick direction by Mike Newell, Pushing Tin is one of those invigorating movies (like Wall Street or ...(read more...) >All the President's Men) that takes you behind the scenes of a dramatic profession--in this case, the high-stress world of air-traffic controllers--and throws in a source of conflict to ramp up the tension. For ace "tin-pusher" Nick Falzone (John Cusack), that conflict arrives in the form of Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton), an Irish/Choctaw half-breed whose Zen-like control of air traffic immediately puts Nick on the defensive. Add an incident of infidelity and Nick's subsequent self-loathing and guilt, and Pushing Tin turns into a macho pissing match, with Nick's and Russell's spouses (Cate Blanchett and Angelina Jolie, respectively) stuck in the middle.

At that point, this otherwise splendid comedy-drama turns almost fatally silly, and it hits additional turbulence by lapsing into a predictable series of pat resolutions. Fortunately, the jazzy cast avoids a nosedive into the tarmac, and if you recall Blanchett's Oscar-nominated performance in Elizabeth, you'll be amazed by her flawless transformation into a smart and sweetly devoted New Jersey housewife. Dialogue is a major asset here, and the script (by TV veterans Glen and Les Charles) gives Cusack & Co. plenty to chew on. That makes Pushing Tin a breezy good time, and its flaws are easily forgiven. --Jeff Shannon

Director: Mike Newell

MPAA: R

Running Time: 124 min.

Release Date: Apr 23, 1999

Cast: John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett