Movie Review: On A Wing And A Prayer (2023)

Genre: Drama

Director: Sean McNamara

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Heather Graham

Running Time: 102 minutes

Synopsis: Successful and benevolent Louisiana businessman Doug White (Dennis Quaid) is happily married to Terri (Heather Graham) and father to daughters Bailey and Maggie. When his Florida-based brother becomes the latest family member to succumb to a heart attack, Doug starts to question his faith. The family charters a flight home from the funeral, but tragedy strikes when the pilot suffers a heart attack. Doug barely has any flight experience, but now has to pilot and land the plane, assisted by Terri and various flight control officials.

What Works Well: Director Sean McNamara generates occasionally decent tension based on actual events, as a likeable family confronts a crisis with grim prospects, culminating in a competent crash-or-land climax.

What Does Not Work As Well: This faith-based drama suffers from a rudimentary script and one of Dennis Quaid's most painfully superficial performances. The second half offers a hodge-podge of uncoordinated and seemingly incompetent on-the-ground response, in-flight fumbling, and bizarre time spent with a couple of kids who monitor the crisis but are otherwise irrelevant.

Conclusion: The small plane has insufficient cargo space for competent storytelling.



All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.