Pushing Tin

Infobox_Film
name= Pushing Tin


imdb_id=0120797
writer=Darcy Frey
Glen Charles
Les Charles
producer=
starring=John Cusack
Billy Bob Thornton
Cate Blanchett
Angelina Jolie
Jake Weber
director=Mike Newell
music=Anne Dudley
Chris Seefried
distributor=
released=1999
runtime=119 min
language=English
movie_series_label=
movie_series=
budget =
awards =

"Pushing Tin" is a 1999 comedy drama film directed by Mike Newell. It centers on a cocky air traffic controller (Cusack) who quarrels over proving "who's more of a man" with fellow employee Bell (Thornton). It is filmed partially on location in and around Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The reality that the movie was filmed in Canada, rather than the American setting, was particularly obvious when Cusack's character is seen driving past a VIA Rail station, an institution not seen in the United States.

Plot Summary

Nick "The Zone" Falzone and his fellow controllers at New York TRACON pride themselves on their ability to handle the intense pressure and stress of being an air traffic controller for one of the busiest airspaces in the country, even boasting of the 50% drop-out rate for new additions to the staff that are unable to "hack it" and quit. The controllers and their families enjoy a very close bond and have formed a tight-knit community of sorts, although it is presented that most male controllers have gone through multiple marriages and do not have what is seen as a normal family life.

Russell Bell, a new transfer from the west, arrives and is introduced to the group, along with his rather mysterious, younger wife Mary. On his first day at the controls, and having been warned of the failure rate of new transfers, Bell initially seems to be on the way to a quick exit: despite warnings from Falzone, he has two planes headed directly towards each other with a third plane passing between. But, with steady nerves and unwavering determination, Bell handles the air traffic smoothly, earning the praise of a pilot and the respect of his new colleagues. Falzone feels challenged by the new controller's ability to out-perform him at seemingly every task and warns his supervisor that Bell is a loose cannon. The supervisor shrugs off the warning, saying simply that Bell "pushes tin" and gets the planes where they need to be on time.

At the supermarket, Falzone encounters Russell's wife Mary, who is sobbing in the middle of an aisle. Consoling her, Nick asks her to accompany him to dinner on the pretext that they should not eat alone, as Russell has left Mary for the night without explanation. After dinner, and a number of drinks, Nick ends up back at the Bell's house, where he and Mary commit adultery.

Meanwhile, Nick's relationship with his wife, Connie, is struggling. She seems intrigued by Russell, and begins to study French after borrowing a tape from him. Connie also seems suspicious of Nick's faithfulness. As his personal life begins to descend into turmoil, Nick's performance at works suffers, and the once cocky, boastful controller that was admired by his coworkers is sent home after nearly causing multiple airliners to crash.

It is only after befriending Russell that Nick is able to pull his personal life back together and return to his previous, steady demeanor at the controls.

This film is well-regarded in gay film circles, as it successfully portrays the friendship-to-love story between the two main male characters. The relationship fully blossoms in the "climactic" runway scene ["Movies you thought you knew", by Adam Fisk, Out Magazine, March 2003] .

Cast

* John Cusack Nick Falzone
* Billy Bob Thornton Russell Bell
* Cate Blanchett Connie Falzone
* Angelina Jolie Mary Bell
* Jake Weber Barry Plotkin
* Kurt Fuller Ed Clabes
* Vicki Lewis Tina Leary
* Matt Ross Ron Hewitt
* Jerry Grayson Leo Morton
* Michael Willis Pat Feeney
* Philip Akin Paul
* Mike O'Malley Pete
* Neil Crone Tom
* Matt Gordon Ken
* Joe Pingue Mark
* Shaun Majumder New Controller
* Dwight McFee Veteran Controller
* Robert N. Smith Bob (as Rob Smith)
* Catherine Lloyd Burns Tanya Hewitt
* Star Jasper Julie Clabes
* Molly Price Crystal Plotkin
* Sarah Knowlton Beverly
* Kiersten Warren Karen
* Andy Dan Diner Cook (as Andrew Dan)
* Tennyson Loeh Diner Waitress
* Michael Hyatt Trudy

References

External links

* [http://www.foxmovies.com/pushingtin/ Official site]
*