Alright so I see I’ve got a navy pilot movie starring Glenn Powell on the docket today, I can’t wait to share my thoughts on Top Gun Mav…. Oh, what’s that? This is Devotion? Oh.
I’m just kidding, Devotion is a movie I’ve been looking forward to seeing ever since I saw it starred Jonathan Majors and Glenn Powell. They did not disappoint. While I’m unfamiliar with the book and true story this movie is based on, I’m quite familiar with both these men and how good of an actor they are. I am so excited for 2023 or as some are calling it, the year of Jonathan Majors. For Powell, I really have only seen Set it Up and Top Gun Maverick but with each watch, I find myself appreciating his work in his role.
They portray two pilots (Jesse and Tom for Majors and Powell respectively) flying a mission during the Korean War. There is a subplot about Jesse being the only black member of their squadron and I’m happy with how they handled it. While he faces some racist people during the movie, he never has to prove his worth to his fellow pilots: they know he’s a damn good pilot regardless of his race. The movie doesn’t ignore the issue though.
The movie does show how people’s racist thoughts and words about him have affected him, as he emotionally uses it to prepare himself to fly. The dynamic between all the other pilots is nice to see. There isn’t any bad blood between anyone, and they all act like the brothers they are with each other.
So this movie is just over two hours long and the main plot doesn’t really kick off until you’re over an hour in. Normally I’d dislike that, but with a small cast of characters we are supposed to care about, I like giving them time to develop so we can see their relationships in full and care about them when the action starts. Because of that, secondary conflicts feel less forced. For example, Tom is a school-trained pilot who does things by the book, whereas Jessie is a more instinctual flyer, saying that if he did everything he was told, he wouldn’t be where he was now.
This contrast isn’t super unique, but the movie doesn’t make either out to be wrong for doing things their way. Along the same page, the action definitely felt like it took a back seat to the characters. I love that. Because of that, the ending is just so much more impactful. I’m not spoiling it here, please go watch this for yourself or read the book. For those of you who do know how it ends, it is real, and it is tough.
Final Thoughts
This movie might not have been on your radar but I really urge you to give it a shot now that it’s streaming. It was always going to be an uphill battle for Devotion to get out of Top Gun Maverick’s shadow but trust me, it’s a good movie.
