If hours upon hours have been eaten up standing in a crowded airport, waiting to catch that flight to anywhere in particular, then you probably know where “Flying” is headed, with its medium-blue tinted cinematography and an empty airport. Roger (Marc Vann) is at the ticket counter, and informed that he has been upgraded to first class. It seems too easy, giving away automatically where Roger is headed and nearly rendering the rest of “Flying” fruitless, save for one performance.
He sits down wearily, jointed by Paul (Mike Nussbaum) who offers him a handkerchief. “Flying” is soon off and running on Roger’s problems, accompanied by flashbacks of his life, as Paul listens intently. But who is Paul? Is he who we think he is, the only fellow passenger on Roger’s flight, or is he an assistant of some sort? It’s the only matter worth thinking about here, aided by Mike Nussbaum’s low-key, stately performance. Nussbaum, mainly known for his performance as Gentle Rosenberg, the Arquillian jeweler in “Men in Black” is a real find for this short, an understanding and yes, gentle soul. Roger is the typical businessman, flying here and there and everywhere in order to bring money in, but who never paid all that much attention to his family. It’s an easily relatable story, but it doesn’t feel like much here.
