Sully

On a frigid January afternoon in 2009, Chesley Sullenberger steers a worn passenger jet toward a desperate yet precise plan after a bird strike disables both engines. With no time to reach a nearby airport, he glides the airliner to a safe but unorthodox touchdown on the Hudson River, and all 155 aboard survive the ordeal. The moment becomes a worldwide symbol of calm under pressure and a test case for authority and memory alike. In the wake of the landing, Sully faces a high stakes inquiry that questions the quick choices he made in the air and the clarity of his own recollections. The film contrasts public adulation with the private strain that follows a day no one forgets.

Directed by Clint Eastwood, Sully adapts Chesley Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow's Highest Duty with a script by Todd Komarnicki. The 2016 drama was released by Warner Bros, bringing a focused portrait of a modern aviation feat to theaters worldwide today.

The film earned roughly 240.8 million at the worldwide box office against a 60 million budget, marking a solid commercial performance for a character driven drama led by Tom Hanks. Its performance shows how drama built on true events travels.

Sully reinforced the memory of the Miracle on the Hudson by presenting a calm, competent pilot under pressure. The film helped anchor iconic imagery in contemporary pop culture and prompted discussion about how praise interacts with official scrutiny and memory. Its river landing sequences use restrained camerawork and a soundscape.

Critics generally praised Tom Hanks's restrained performance and Eastwood's restrained direction, though some noted a procedural tone. The film centers on memory versus evidence, duty versus fame, and how a single day can shape a man's reputation and a nation's narrative. It also frames memory as an ethical pressure test.