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On A Wing And A Prayer is based on real events from Easter Sunday 2009, where 56-year-old pilot Doug White (68-year-old Dennis Quaid – Midway) almost crashes his plane, while not far from the airstrip.
However, after a BBQ at home, it’s around 17 minutes into the film when the plot actually feels like it begins to start, since Doug’s brother, Jeff, has passed away. At the wake, wife Terri (Heather Graham – Horns), is all “God is always there for you” – So, it’s that sort of film, where it shoves religion down your throat. It’s classed as a ‘faith-based film’, where the characters all feel an affinity to a man-made fictional deity.
Later on, while going up ii a light aircraft with the family as a quick way to get home, pilot Joe Cabuk (Wilbur Fitzgerald – Freejack) also shuffles off his mortal coil. Unfortunately, by this point, they’re rather high up in the sky, and they’re just ten minutes into the flight. Oops!
Since singer Linda’s (Rachael Markarian) daughter, Donna (Raina Grey), is an amateur Aircraft Traffic Control radio enthusiast, with all the equipment to tune into official broadcasts, I had a feeling I knew how this was going to go. Was I right?
Well, no spoilers how this real-life tale pans out, but I was glad they didn’t have to rely on a kid to pilot-by-proxy, but in another scene I won’t detail, when you hear the words, “I’m building you a cockpit”, get ready to put your foot through the screen.
One character is criticised for using a mobile phone in the control tower, which is a federal offence. He claims he has someone on the phone who can help, yet is told to get it out of there, and won’t have his theories entertained at all. Somehow, I’d bet my house on the mobile phone owner being right! Was I? Well, you’ll have to watch the film to find out. I had to.
In another scene, where one male character doesn’t have a TV screen to hand, he gets across his frustration by throwing his reading material on the floor. Grrrr…. curse that book!
On A Wing And A Prayer is cliched nonsense from start to finish. It’s not even a case of ‘so bad it’s good’. Quaid and family also seem to be flying through the night, even though they set off in the morning. How on Earth isn’t there a nearby airstrip they could’ve landed on?
In fact, I was wishing *I* was the old pilot who collapsed at the wheel, since On A Wing And A Prayer really is ‘TV movie’ time, and is monumentally boring.
Even more bizarre, during the end credits, as they detail information about key real-life characters, we see Fort Myers control centre employees Brian Norton and Lisa Grimm are white, yet the actors playing them are black. Huh?
So, well done, Mr Quaid, you’ve made what is certifiably the worst film of 2023, and we’re only just over three months in!
As an aside, there’s a completely ridiculous scene where singer Linda is talking to a man in a bar, while drinking bourbon…. and then leaves when her glass is still half full! Who doesn’t finish their drink?! Maybe if it was her fifth pint of lager, sure, but her first and only short measure?
Additionally – and this isn’t a spoiler, either, during the end credits, there’s a real-life speech from Doug White about his experience. I would love to know what he thinks of this, because of anyone should be done for improper use of a mobile phone, it’s Quaid for just phoning it in!
Thanks to our friends at Prime Video for the screener prior to release.
Trailer posted: April 5th 2023 01:00
Review posted: April 6th 2023 16:00
On A Wing And A Prayer is on Amazon Prime Video from Friday April 7th, but the film isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 102 minutes
Release date: April 7th 2023
Studio: Amazon Prime Video
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Rating: 0/10
Director: Sean McNamara
Producers: Autumn Bailey, Roma Downey, Karl Horstmann
Screenplay: Brian Egeston
Music: Brandon Roberts
Cast:
Doug White: Dennis Quaid
Terri White: Heather Graham
Kari Sorenson: Jesse Metcalfe
Bailey White: Abigail Rhyne
Maggie White: Jessi Case
Jeff White: Brett Rice
Dan Favio: Rocky Myers
Lisa Grimm: Selena Anduze
Brian Norton: E Roger Mitchell
Ralph: Joe Knezevich
Ellis Ross: Brandon Quinn
Bill Jones: Roger Anthony
Donna: Raina Grey
Buggy: Trayce Malachi
Ashley Harrison: Anna Enger Ritch
Joe Cabuk: Wilbur Fitzgerald
Claire: Holly A Morris
Linda: Rachael Markarian
Pastor Williams: James Healy Jr
Apron Pilot: Philip Boyd
Big Moe: Moe Cason
Fort Myers Air Traffic Controller: Matt Mercurio
Hangar Mechanic: Scott Poythrees
Hangar Pilot: Paden Fallis
John: Sean Patrick McNamara
Rick: Mark Rowe
Naples Control Tower Air Traffic Controller: Myke Holmes
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.