Blind Flight

2003

1 hr. 34 min.

Drama

List

100%

5 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1986, teacher Brian Keenan (Ian Hart) moves from his native Ireland to Beirut, where Hezbollah militants kidnap him. Brian is held captive with one other cellmate, British journalist John McCarthy (Linus Roache). John is calm by nature, while Brian has a rebellious streak, and the two hostages have opposing political views about their home countries. Still, over the course of their grueling four-year imprisonment, they manage to develop an unbreakable bond.

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Audience Member

Great politically fueled film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Matter-of-fact account of Brian Keenan and John McCarthy's time as hostages in Beirut this at least scratches the surface of what it must have been like to live through such an experience. The power of the human spirit to endure even the most extreme of circumstances is wrought large here, to great effect.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

well umn just seen this movie 4 the 1st time n think that this is a good movie 2 watch..its got a good cast of actors/actressess throughout this movie..i think that ian hart, Linus Roache play good parts throughout this movie..i think that the director of this Drama movie had done a good job of directing this movie because you never know what 2 expect throughout this movie its a good movie 2 watch with a good cast throughout this movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Dramatisation of Brian Keenan and John McCarthy's 4 and a half years held hostage in Lebanon. Well directed, showing the human-side to the captors as well as their brutality. A moving portrayal of the friendship that develops between the two men over their years in captivity, and a testament to the human spirit. Humourous in parts, harrowing in others. I'll be ordering the autobiographies from Amazon.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A account of the beirut kidnapping of John McCarthy & Brian Keenan, which concentrates more on the captives, than the core poitics behind their kidnapping and their captors. Knowledge on the subject, and the reading of the books the film is based on will add to the essence of the film. Obviously the film is sparse,bleak, and brutal, and shot in a way that broods chlosphraphobia. However it remains a invigouring watch, due to the "big brother" focus on exclusively the 2 men.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

John McCarthy and Brian Keenan were held hostage in Lebanon for more than 4 years. this film is an account of the time they spent held as captives together. Some of the humiliations, violence and fear they must have experienced is shown in the film, together with the way that they managed to cope with their ordeal, but I'm not sure that the film portrayed the squalor and horror in quite the same way that is possible with the written word.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

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John Furse

Director

Ian Hart

Brian Keenan

Linus Roache

John McCarthy

Mohammed Chamas

Abed

Nayef Rashed

Militia Leader

Lynn Farleigh

John's Mother

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 4/5

Apr 1, 2006

Full Review

Jamie Russell

BBC.com

Rated: 3/5

May 1, 2004

Full Review

Josh Ralske

All Movie Guide

It's not a docudrama, so much as an intimate, psychologically acute tone poem...

Rated: 8/10

Jul 11, 2004

Full Review

Rich Cline

Shadows on the Wall

Hart and Roache are astonishing--raw and exposed, bristling with anger and fear, righteous outrage ... and years of religious and political prejudice against each other.

Rated: 4.5/5

May 1, 2004

Full Review

Matthew Turner

ViewLondon

Rated: 4/5

May 1, 2004

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1986, teacher Brian Keenan (Ian Hart) moves from his native Ireland to Beirut, where Hezbollah militants kidnap him. Brian is held captive with one other cellmate, British journalist John McCarthy (Linus Roache). John is calm by nature, while Brian has a rebellious streak, and the two hostages have opposing political views about their home countries. Still, over the course of their grueling four-year imprisonment, they manage to develop an unbreakable bond.

Director: John Furse
Screenwriter: John Furse, Brian Keenan
Production Co: Makar Productions, Parallax Pictures
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English (United Kingdom)
Sound Mix: Surround