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Pushing Tin |
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Looking for a career in air traffic control? Don't watch Pushing Tin. [Warning: This
review gives away several key plot points. But
since the film's not worth spending your
hard-earned money to see it anyway, read on ...] Zooming in on Nick's life as a controller at
New York's Terminal Radar Approach Control
(TRACON), this film depicts the sheer intensity
and pressure of holding the lives of hundreds
of people at a time in the palm of your hand.
Dialogue describes the high alcoholism rates,
drop-out rates, divorce rates and suicide rates
of these men and women who work the
scopes, directing planes safely through the
skies. Still, Pushing Tin isn't so much
about careers as it is about relationships and
marriage. Nick and Russell are both married.
Nick cheats on his wife (Connie) with
Russell's wife (Mary). The resulting drama
sends Nick's life spiraling out of control.
Positive Elements: Moviegoers
are left with a strong sense that marriage is
worth saving and that infidelity is "usually"
destructive. (Sadly, viewers are also left with
the impression that, if handled correctly,
marital unfaithfulness can actually enhance a
relationship.) Nick, even though caught in a
moment of indiscretion, loves his wife and
regrets his actions. He goes to great lengths
to win his bride back. Both Nick and Russell
demonstrate heroism when they risk their
lives by staying inside the control center
guiding planes to safety while the building is
being evacuated after a bomb threat. Nick and
Russell demonstrate great pride in their work
and strive to be the best they can be when
sitting in front of their scopes.
Spiritual Content: One stray
comment makes light of baptism, repentance
and sin.
Sexual Content: Nick and Mary
have sex. Mary's bare breasts are shown
several times after the fact. Nick has sex with
his wife, but no nudity arises here and all that
is shown is the "before" and "after." Sexual
innuendoes and coarse jokes are thrown
about from time to time. There's even a joke
about bestiality. In an effort to make Nick
jealous, Connie dishonestly boasts that she
has had "raucous" sex with Russell ("We
should have been wearing hard hats").
Russell tells Nick it's okay that he slept with
Mary because, "We're men, we can't help
it."
Violent Content: A couple of
intense scenes show airliners nearly hitting
each other. Nick and Russell almost come to
blows at work, but the two are separated by
coworkers.
Crude or Profane Language: Foul
language laces Pushing Tin. The
f-word (including motherf-----), the s-word, as
well as a significant amount of mild profanity,
mars the dialogue. Jesus' name is used in
vain on several occasions.
Drug and Alcohol Content:
Excessive use of alcohol occurs throughout
the film. It seems as though everyone
drinks—constantly. Beer. Wine. Vodka.
Whiskey. Gin. It doesn't matter what it is as
long as it contains alcohol. Nick and Mary's
sexual interlude occurs after dining out and
consuming a large amount of wine. While
intoxicated, the two both drive their cars to
Mary's house. Later, Mary drinks and drives
again. It is implied more than once that Mary is
an alcoholic. Cigarettes also make an
appearance.
Other Negative Elements: Nick
and Russell play a dangerous game of
one-upmanship, racing their cars and
motorcycles, dodging through speeding traffic
and even playing with the lives of airline
passengers at work, trying to prove who's the
"better man."
Summary: There's one major
negative element of Pushing Tin that
I've saved for this summary statement. One
graphic scene has the potential—planted in
the brain of just the right (or wrong) person—to
create a real-life tragedy. Russell is known for
his bravado and foolhardy stunts. Early in the
film, videotape is shown of him standing on a
runway directly under a giant 747 jet as it
lands. Later, when Nick's life has unraveled,
he comes to Russell for advice on how to
straighten it back out. Russell takes him to a
Southwestern airport, and the two stand on
the pavement, waiting for a jumbo jet to
descend. As in the videotape shown earlier,
their bodies—blasted by the jet wash—are
flung high into the air and blown backwards
50 feet or more. They bounce along the
ground and finally come to a bleeding halt on
the desert sand. It's all great fun for them, and
in fact, the incident inspires Nick to patch his
life back together. Not something
impressionable teens need to see.
Pushing Tin should come with a
warning label: "Do Not Try This at Home!"
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