Pushing Tin

Amazon.com

Blessed by a fantastic cast and slick direction by Mike Newell, Pushing Tin is one of those invigorating movies (like Wall Street or 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

Description

Nick Falzone (John Cusack) is the busiest, and the best, air traffic controller on Long Island - until Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton) roars into town like a motorcycle-riding cowboy. Fueled by caffeine and machismo, the two men embark upon an uproarious contest of wit and wills that can ultimately only have one winner.

Customer Reviews:

decent .......2007-08-23

Pushing Tin is a strange movie. It's a mix of romance comedy and drama. It actually does a fairly decent job of showing the viewer why relationships are important. It wasn't really a funny film to me personally. The segments that were supposed to make me laugh didn't work, and I was just waiting for the drama bits to come in. The first 30 minutes of plot were basically nonexistent, with me just wondering why *nothing* is happening. Eventually a storyline is created, if you're a patient person willing to wait for it to come.

Maybe I laughed at some of the cruel moments, which made me feel bad. The final 20 minutes of film were truly really good moments of creative writing and made the movie a worthwhile purchase. I should have seen the ending coming a mile away, and yet, I didn't. I forgot all about *something* Billy Bob's character had a fascination with, so it was a nice surprise to see how they managed that particular spot to fit into an excellent storyline segment.

Overall, decent, but not something you'd want to see more than once or twice.

Amazing Cast-Mediocre Movie.......2007-08-08

Pushing Tin was a bit of a disappointment, considering the makeup of the cast: John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Angelina Jolie, and Cate Blanchett among others!
The movie sheds light on a New York air traffic controller who seems to have it all, but whose life takes a sharp turn for the worst from the moment a new transfer arrives to work by his side...
The plot has elements of both comedy and drama making it rather difficult to label it as one or the other; it's actually a bit of both.
The acting is pretty good (though nothing great), while the humor and the plot are just about average.
Though the potential for a great movie was definitely there it fails to take off. A shame really...
In a nutshell, it's an ok movie, and that's about it; it lacks that extra something to put it over the top. No masterpiece here.
If a Billy Bob Thornton movie is what you're looking for, check out Monster's Ball.
If John Cusack is what you had in mind, check out Serendipity.

SOFT PUSH.......2007-02-28

John Cusack. Angelina Jolie. Billy Bob Thornton. Cate Blanchett. Jake Weber. How did such good actors get in such a lifeless, pointless movie? Basically nothing more than a testosterone competition between Thornton and Cusack, the movie isn't funny and its dramatic attempts fail because the characters are so shallow and unlikeable. Director Mike Newell blew this one, folks.

simply put - male ego.......2006-11-13

i love the runway scene with billy bob and john cusack !!
i named my team after the line: "...she's a bit of a saucemonster..."
i liked this movie.
unlike a previous viewer, this movie is funny every time i watch it.
it is simply entertaining and what else do you watch a movie for??

Entertaining glimpse into lives of Air Traffic Controllers!.......2006-11-12

This was a well made movie about co-worker rivalry, spousal infidelity, and the high energy stress and pace of Air Traffic Controllers all wrapped into one. The all star cast consists of John Cusack, Cate Blanchett, Billy Bob Thornton, and Angelina Jolie, and they all shine! Dialogue is often fast and direct, which reflects the attributes of an Air Traffic Controller's life, and helps to keep the movie moving along at an interesting pace.

Angelina Jolie Celebrity Pack (Mr. & Mrs. Smith / Life or Something Like It / Pushing Tin)

Average customer rating:

Good value, but very few extras . . .

Angelina Jolie Celebrity Pack (Mr. & Mrs. Smith / Life or Something Like It / Pushing Tin)
Starring: Angelina Jolie , Brad Pitt , Edward Burns , Billy Bob Thornton , and John Cusack
Manufacturer: Fox Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000JF0MCC
Release Date: 2006-05-29

Product Description

Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie smolder in one of the most anticipated, sizzling action films ever made. After five (or six) years of vanilla-wedded bliss, ordinary suburbanites John and Jane Smith (Pitt and Jolie) are stuck in a rut the size of the Grand Canyon until the truth comes out! Unbeknownst to each other, they are both coolly lethal, highly paid assassins working for rival organizations. And when they discover they're each other's next target, their secret lives collide in a spicy, explosive mix of wicked comedy, pent-up passion, nonstop action and high-tech weaponry that gives an all-new meaning to "Till death do us part!"

Life or Something Like It
A reporter, Lanie Kerrigan (Jolie), interviews a psychic homeless man (Shalhoub) for a fluff piece about a football game's score. Instead, he tells her that her life has no meaning, and is going to end in just a few days, which sparks her to action, trying to change the pattern of her life...

Pushing Tin
Nick Falzone (John Cusack) is the busiest, and the best, air traffic controller on Long Island - until Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton) roars into town like a motorcycle-riding cowboy. Fueled by caffeine and machismo, the two men embark upon an uproarious contest of wit and wills that can ultimately only have one winner.

System Requirements:
Running Time: 339 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Good value, but very few extras . . ........2007-08-09

3 movies for the price of 1. But is it worth it? > you be the judge. I assume you know the movies, here's what you get on each disc.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) PG-13 (slim case)
- Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
- Deleted Scenes
- Commentaries by Director Doug Liman and Screenwriter Simon Kinberg, Producers Lucas Foster and Akiva Goldsman, Film Editor Micheal Tronick
- "Making a Scene" Featurette
- Trailers and more

Life or Something Like It (2002) PG-13 (slim case)
- 2 sided with both Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 and Full Screen 1.33:1
- Commentary by Director Steven Herek

Pushing Tin (1999) R (slim case)
- Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
- Original Theatrical Trailer

Average customer rating:

decent
Amazing Cast-Mediocre Movie
SOFT PUSH
simply put - male ego
Entertaining glimpse into lives of Air Traffic Controllers!

Pushing Tin
Starring: John Cusack , Billy Bob Thornton , Cate Blanchett , Angelina Jolie , and Jake Weber
Director: Mike Newell
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000067D0N
Release Date: 1999-10-05

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

decent .......2007-08-23

Amazing Cast-Mediocre Movie.......2007-08-08

SOFT PUSH.......2007-02-28

simply put - male ego.......2006-11-13

Entertaining glimpse into lives of Air Traffic Controllers!.......2006-11-12

Average customer rating:

decent
Amazing Cast-Mediocre Movie
SOFT PUSH
simply put - male ego
Entertaining glimpse into lives of Air Traffic Controllers!

Pushing Tin [Region 2]
Starring: John Cusack , Billy Bob Thornton , Cate Blanchett , Angelina Jolie , and Jake Weber
Director: Mike Newell
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00006IXCS

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

decent .......2007-08-23

Amazing Cast-Mediocre Movie.......2007-08-08

SOFT PUSH.......2007-02-28

simply put - male ego.......2006-11-13

Entertaining glimpse into lives of Air Traffic Controllers!.......2006-11-12

DVD:

DVD

DVD