There are some other great elements in Flight: a riveting opening scene with a stricken plane gliding upside down as it prepares to crash land; Denzel Washington’s bloated look and riveting eyes as Captain Whip Whitaker; Don Cheadle’s as a hired-gun attorney trying to hide the truth; comic relief from John Goodman as a gregarious drug dealer; exceptional moments as Whitaker encounters other physically and emotionally damaged characters; and gratuitous nudity from the gorgeous Nadine Velazquez as a flight attendant with whom Whitaker has an affair.

But Flight never quite rises above the obstacles inherent in John Gatins’ well-meaning script.

The action sequence is so good that the rest of the movie struggles to live up to it.

Captain Whitaker’s various jumps on and off the wagon become predictable, almost routine. He seems like a decent man at heart, but we mostly see him acting like a jerk. Sympathy wears pretty thin when the character flaws are so obvious.

Kelly Reilly seems too flat and uninteresting to be convincing as Whitaker’s emerging love interest Nicole.

The film has two spots that seemed appropriate for endings, but it plods on to a third. We know there’s going to be some redemption (it’s Denzel Washington, after all) but we don’t need to see it happen over and over again.

Goodman has always seemed larger than life — and I don’t mean that as a pun about his weight. He’s a big guy, but we all know plenty of big guys who don’t have the charisma that Goodman has.

What a great presence.

Goodman was honored just after Flight screenwriter John Gatins was given the annual Spotlight Award. Goodman has a relatively small role in Flight, which was screened after the brief presentations. I might have more to say about the film in an upcoming post.

I was struck in Goodman’s brief remarks by his emphasis on the collaborative aspects of filmmaking. “I can’t do this by myself,” Goodman said.

“I stand on the shoulders of many people.”

In the Q&A after the screening, Goodman praised Gatins (“I’d never read anything like it”) and director Robert Zemeckis (“I’m astounded at his total command of everything”).

But Goodman did not seem in a mood to elaborate much. He made clear, direct statements and finished his brief acceptance remarks with a flourish from The Big Lebowski: “Walter Sobchak said it best: ‘Fuck it, Dude, let’s go bowling.'”

Nothing wrong with the occasional F-bomb from the Trustees Theater stage.

Click here for brief clips of the Savannah Morning News’ Linda Sickler interviewing Goodman and Gatins.

Here’s most of today’s press release:

Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning actor John Goodman (Flight) will receive an Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award and comic book legend, former President and Chairman of Marvel Comics Stan Lee (The Avengers) will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 15th Annual Savannah Film Festival, which will take place from October 27th to November 3th.

Academy Award-nominated actors Matt Dillon (Crash) and Diane Lane (Unfaithful) will be honored with “Outstanding Achievement in Cinema” Awards. Actress Michelle Monaghan will receive a “Spotlight Award” for her performance in Tomorrow Youâ€re Gone, and Academy Award-winning writer/director Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious) will receive the 2nd Annual SCAD Cinevation Award prior to a screening of his directorial debut Violet & Daisy. The filmâ€s star James Gandolfini will be in attendance.

David O. Russellâ€s Silver Linings Playbook will open the festival on Saturday October 27. Other special screenings include Robert Zemeckis†Flight (writer John Gatins will be honored prior to screening) Dustin Hoffmanâ€s Quartet, Jacques Audiardâ€s Rust & Bone, Wayne Blairâ€s The Sapphires, Michael Hanekeâ€s Canneâ€s Palme Dâ€Or winner Amour, and Walter Salles†On the Road. Dreamworks Animationâ€s Rise of the Guardian directed by Peter Ramsey and written by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire—who will be honored prior to the screening—will close the festival as the first ever 3D film to play at Savannah.

RealD Inc., a leading global licensor of 3D technologies, has partnered with SCAD to be the exclusive 3D cinema provider at the Savannah Film Festival. RealD will also provide SCAD with the companyâ€s patented 3D lens and glasses for permanent use, allowing the universityâ€s film and digital media students to screen their projects in 3D.

Other special screenings taking place at this yearâ€s festival include: Matt Ross†28 Hotel Rooms, David Jacobsonâ€s Tomorrow Youâ€re Gone, Bedabrata Painâ€s Chittagong, Ry Russo-Youngâ€s Nobody Walks, Brian Savelsonâ€s In Our Nature with star Zach Gilford in attendance, Glenn Gaylordâ€s I Do with writer/star David W. Ross in attendance, Ramona Diazâ€s Journey documentary Donâ€t Stop Believinâ€, HBO Films†“The Girl” directed by Julian Jarrold (who will attend), and Lori Silver Bush and Kristi Jacobsonâ€s documentary A Place at the Table. Matt Dillon will take part in a Q&A after City of Ghosts, the 2002 film that he wrote, directed and stars in; and Diane Lane will take part in a Q&A after A Little Romance, her 1979 film debut.

Other confirmed special guests include Christy Turlington Burns who will show her documentary No Woman, No Cry; producer/directors Adam Shankman (showing his movie Hairspray) and Bob Shaye (showing his movie The Last Mimzy); Actor/Director Matthew Lillard, whoâ€s film Fat Kid Rules the World will play in competition; photographer Nigel Barker (showing his documentary Dreams art Not Forgotten; actors Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), Norman Reedus (“The Walking Dead”) and Miles Teller (Footloose), all of whom will speak with SCAD students over the course of the festival.