SULLY script - Save the Cat beat sheet analysis

The film opens with a stark image of a plane falling out of the sky, immediately setting the stakes.

Sully’s interview line (“I don’t feel like a hero…”) introduces the theme of heroism and self-doubt.

I don’t feel like a hero. I was just a man doing his job.

We meet Sully and Skiles in the cockpit as they attempt to relight engines and return to LaGuardia.

The bird strike during takeoff abruptly disables both engines, triggering the crisis.

Sully and Skiles argue over returning to LaGuardia versus other options, weighing survival odds.

Sully decides they cannot reach an airport and commits to landing in the Hudson.

Sully connects with Lorrie over the phone, establishing his emotional anchor.

Of course. Tired. That’s it.

Sully navigates media scrutiny, replays flashbacks, and does interviews that show public perception.

Sully executes the successful water landing, saving all on board, marking a triumphant midpoint reversal.

NTSB investigators assert the plane could have returned to LaGuardia, mounting official opposition.

There was enough altitude and speed after the bird strike, for a successful return to LaGuardia.

The board’s suggestion that Sully violated procedure feels like total failure.

There was enough altitude and speed after the bird strike, for a successful return to LaGuardia.

Alone at home, Sully fears he may have been wrong, questioning his identity.

What if I did blow it?

Determined to clear his name, Sully pushes for realistic simulator tests before the CVR playback.

I need you to make it happen... before we listen to the CVR. Before our testimony is complete.

In the final hearing, Sully dismantles the flawed simulations and reaffirms his decision with the board.

This was dual engine loss at 2,800 feet followed by an immediate water landing. With 155 souls on...

The survivors’ reunion at the museum provides a reflective, hopeful closing image.