3/10
Amelia Earhart continues to be an iconic figure over 70 years after she and her plane disappeared while attempting a flight around the world in 1937. Her gender (women have rarely been famous pilots), her premature demise, the mystery of what happened to her, her determination to achieve the impossible - there are plenty of explanations for her status. And therefore, a brand new biopic about her seemed like a sure fire critical and commercial success. Unfortunately, not. The problem with the film is that it lacks the verve and daring that Earhart herself brought to life. Although Hilary Swank looks more like her than most actors resemble the people they play, the film itself is so determined to be tasteful and uncontroversial, that we are left with a nicely photographed travelogue, with an especially dull romance sandwiched in between. Richard Gere plays her older lover/manager with his customary lack of energy, while Ewan McGregor and Christopher Ecclestone have supporting roles. For an evocation of her life and spirit, I prefer Joni Mitchell's song - and it's a lot shorter.
