She Soared Through the Air with the Greatest of Ease

Mira Nair’s Amelia kinda sneaked up on me.

I mean, I knew the Amelia Earhart biopic starring Hilary Swank was coming out, but for some reason I thought it wouldn’t be landing in theaters until later this fall. The movie’s here now, so know you won’t be missing out on much if you skip it.

I’m not saying so because knowing how the story of the pioneering aviatrix ended will diminish the excitement of seeing Swank take on the iconic role, but rather because Nair has managed the impossible feat of applying a heavy hand to a pretty straightforwardly told story…a too straightforwardly told story.

Amelia’s script, adapted from two Earhart biographies, is overstuffed with interesting, but less than riveting information, dwelling too much on her reluctance toward fame and often complicated love life.

Certainly, I learned plenty about the woman, but I didn’t necessarily feel enraptured by her passion for the sky, for her life in the air, which she lived and died for.

By dwelling on the ground, a place Earhart herself didn’t feel at ease in spite of its elegance as seen in the production of the locations, sets, and wardrobes, Nair deadens her movie’s spirit of adventure.

The fact that Earhart made headlines by setting records as the first woman ever to fly across the Atlantic in 1928 as a passenger, and then solo four years later, becomes but a footnote since Amelia worries more about showing us how torn she felt between her George Putnam (Richard Gere), the publisher and promoter who became her husband, and aeronautics pioneer Gene Vidal (a charming Ewan McGregor).

And that’s like, a disconnect, wouldn’t you agree?

My Rating **

Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.