Easter Sunday remembers one of the greatest miracles to ever happen on the face of this earth—the second person of the Blessed Trinity, Jesus, defeats death, rises from the dead, and begins appearing first to Mary Magdalene and then the Apostles. Another Easter miracle occurred in 2009, when Doug White and his family boarded a private King Air 200 plane, leaving Florida to return home. Ten minutes into the flight, the pilot, Joe Cabuk, experiences a heart attack and dies before landing the plane. Doug White had a pilot’s license but never had flown such a large plane before. He rose to the occasion and piloted the plane with the help of many people from air traffic control. This miraculous story is told in the new Amazon Prime movie release On a Wing and a Prayer which hit the streaming platform on April 7, 2023.
On A Wing And A Prayer Official Trailer
Doug White, played by Dennis Quaid, is confronted with the death of his brother. The two had just spent a few days together, and after he returned home, he passed away. This confrontation with death impacts Doug as he considers why his brother died so early and wonders where God was and if he should believe. Perhaps it presents to the viewer the fleetingness of life and the need to take advantage of every moment we have on this earth. The next confrontation with death and mortality occurs on the plane, not only in the death of the pilot, but with the looming death of Doug and his family, as they are uncertain if he will land the plane.
When I asked Doug in an interview as to what he was thinking in that moment or if he cried out to God for help, he said that he had been living a Godly life already and had no fears and believed God would help him. You will remain on the edge of your seat throughout the movie’s second half as you anticipate what will happen next on the plane.
One of the things I noticed as I watched the movie was the presence of flip phones. I wondered why everyone had flip phones. It hadn’t phased me that since this is a movie inspired by real events that they were depicting the time represented. I guess I’m used to the modernized retelling of events. Before I had this realization, I wondered if it was a critique of the culture. If anything, it reminded me how simple life was when we didn’t have a computer in our pockets.
A Reminder Of The Importance Of Prayer
The film also reminded me of the importance of prayer and the need to begin everything with prayer. Whether it’s before distributing food to the poor or before a flight, invoking the help of God can only be advantageous. As Catholics say, it is right and just. Another theme a viewer sees in the story is the issue of addiction as one character has his struggles and is asked, “What are you trying to forget?” By the movie’s end, the character will experience redemption by rejecting the addiction and embracing freedom.
Doug White wants the viewer to realize that God is in control when the credits roll on the screen. His experience on Easter Sunday truly brings new meaning to the expression from which the film takes its title as he lived life on a wing and a prayer.
Fr. Looney’s Rating
7/10- I found the film to be slow in a few parts and there was an overuse of religious platitudes. I also thought the storyline could have benefited from further character development of ancillary characters.
Watch On A Wing And A Prayer HERE!
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