The Theory of Flight (1998)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Paul Greengrass

Writer:

Richard Hawkins (writer)

Release Date:

22 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A dreamer (Kenneth Branagh) who aspires to human flight is assigned public service after one of his attempts off a public building...

Plot Keywords:

Wheelchair | Independent Film

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Helena Bonham Carter	...	Jane Hatchard
Kenneth Branagh	...	Richard
Gemma Jones	...	Anne
Holly Aird	...	Julie
Ray Stevenson	...	Gigolo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Daryl Beeton	...	Club Organiser
Robert Blythe	...	Farmer
Richard Hibbert	...	Kite boy
Aneirin Hughes	...	Doctor
Jill James	...	Mrs. Allen
Sue Jones-Davies	...	Catharine
Ruth Jones	...	Becky
Frances Lima	...	Julie's Colleague
Sian Naiomi	...	Volunteer
Gwenyth Petty	...	Magistrate
Dilys Price	...	Mrs. Williams
Nia Roberts	...	Checkout Girl
Deborah Sheridan-Taylor	...	Shop Assistant
Natasha Williams	...	Care Worker
Sidney Williams	...	Club Owner

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | USA:R | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Quotes:

Jane: Money is a means to an end. Sex is that end.

Movie Connections:

References American Gigolo (1980)

Soundtrack:

Snatchin' It Back

A point of view new to my eyes.

Yes, I know everyone is sick of the typical sick-dying-person-of-the-week drama, but somehow this movie was drastically different from other movies based on physically challenged people. The driving force in the movie is no doubt Jane, a young woman who faces the fact that she shall die soon. (Bonham Carter) I am a veteran of pictures which feature a dying character with a physical disability. But those films somehow never got the character to seem like a person. After a while, Jane isn't a "sick cripple", she is a human, just a human in a wheelchair. That is all the viewer will see from Bonham Carter's portrayal. Another beautiful quality of the film is Jane refuses to be mushy and over-emotional. It is what she refuses to show that really hits home. Branagh's character Richard should not be overlooked. It's his story more or less. Jane brought Richard's redemption. He is the cripple of the story, he is the one who is dying. "Taking flight has more than one meaning"..Jane utters to Richard. "The Theory of Flight" is an original movie which I recommend to anyone looking for a fresh look on a dying person, whether you see the dying person as Jane or Richard.