Amelia

 If nothing else, Amelia reminds us of a time when America’s celebrities could back their star power with real talent.

The most famous and accomplished aviatrix of her time, Amelia Earhart (Hilary Swank) grew up in a small town in Kansas, spending her days dreaming of the skies and far-off lands as only a Midwesterner could. Her passion for flying eventually brought her in contact with George Putnam (Richard Gere), a smooth-talking publisher who foresees the coming of PR, and the two go into business—and then bed—with each other.

But Amelia, self-proclaimed “vagabond of the sky,” becomes restless with the slew of promotional talks and product endorsements, as well as the comfortable married-life-in-Rye existence. She responds by taking to the sky whenever the money allows, picking up lover Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor) and faux-mothering his son Gore. Her ambition proves fatal, however, and, mere days away from concluding her circumnavigation of the globe, her plane disappears somewhere in the Pacific. 

The film’s first half hour suffers from rocky—dare I say turbulent?—pacing, and the introductory relationship between George and Amelia largely flies by on a gimmick. But crisper storytelling eventually emerges as the narrative progresses, and a gripping conclusion uplifts the characters and elegantly handles Amelia’s final flight.

Director Mira Nair wondrously captures the feeling of escapism that flight bestows—especially during a night flight over D.C. with Eleanor Roosevelt—and beautifully paints the exotic locations that Earheart visited, including Pakistan, Mali and Papa New Guinea.

Swank and Gere comfortably fit their roles as the tomboyish Amelia and the swoon-inducing salesman, and both actors do their best with dialogue that every so often nosedives into mush. Their relationship would be progressive if it weren’t for the fact that Putnam is her publicist: it is, and always has been, all about Amelia. At least Putnam understands this, evidenced in a poignant radio call at the film’s close. 

Though featuring an often overly biopic feel, Amelia boasts stunning visuals and is a pleasant enough takeoff into the past.