Pushing Tin (1999)

Director:

Mike Newell

Writers (WGA):

Darcy Frey (article)
Glen Charles (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

23 April 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Tagline:

A Comedy about Life, Love, Airplanes and Other Bumpy Rides.

Plot:

A feud develops between two air traffic controllers: one cocky and determined while the other is restrained and laidback, which inevitably affects their lives.

Plot Keywords:

Air Traffic Controller | Job | Marriage | Adultery | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

2 nominations

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

Also Known As:

Turbulenzen - und andere Katastrophen (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

124 min | Finland:119 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Malaysia:18PL | Malaysia:U (cut) | Iceland:L | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Mexico:B | New Zealand:M | Peru:14 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

3 Miles Apart Productions Ltd.

Trivia:

Billy Bob Thornton's character (Russell Bell) states in the movie that he is half Irish (his father) and half Choctaw Indian (his mother). In real life, Mr. Thornton's father is of Irish ancestry, while his mother is half Choctaw Indian and half Italian.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Nick dives into the snow during the bomb threat, he is shown rolling over as he lands on his back. When he is home watching himself on TV, however, the dive shown does not match the one he did earlier, as he is shown landing on his stomach.

Quotes:

Nick Falzone: [to Russell Bell] I'm personally going to see to it that you go down in flames!
Airplane Pilot: What?
Nick Falzone: Negative, United. That was not to you. Not to you!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Best! Movies! Ever!: Airports (#1.7)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Jingle Bells

Not Bad of a Flight!

Director Mike Newell's `Pushing Tin' is about the turbulent life of air traffic controllers. Its delightful and thought-provoking screenplay is not intended for the usual `airhead' moviegoer. So please put on your thinking cap for this one. The film stars John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Cate Blanchett, and Angelina Jolie. Thornton and Jolie executed average `plane' performances. However, Cusack and Blanchett rose high with theirs. I do not blame Billy Bob or Angelina for not going up to par with John and Cate. Maybe, Billy Bob and Angelina were way too much in the clouds on and off the set, or maybe it was just that their characters were not fully developed in the script. Even though i am not `Pushing Tin' as one of the best film of 99, it is still one that you should put on the `safe landing looking' section. *** Average