Hilary Swank playing Amelia Earhart sounded like a slam dunk, but alas, even she isn’t enough reason to see this very dry, standard bio-pic. It stays very close to the facts, but it always feels like it’s listing them rather than dramatizing them. Her great effect on America is only summed up with newspaper headlines. The love triangle between her business partner, and later husband, George Putnam (Richard Gere) and Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor), who hired her as aeronautics consultant, is reduced to nothing more than PG-rated nuzzling and hand-holding. Her flights across the Atlantic, both as passenger and flier, contain some actual danger but not much. And she also participated in some races (none of which shown, but wouldn’t it be exciting if they were?), founded a women’s aviation group (which this movie gives no info on), and hocked her own fashion line and other products. If you discount a couple of scenes where she flies in rainstorms, the movie is devoid of any real conflict or interest. It bypasses anything that detracts from the hero-worship, feminism-cheering, follow-your-dreams inspiration, and all the aerial shots depicting her high-flying freedom. In addition, the movie also flashes-forwards at times to her doomed flight around the world, and so beholden to the bio-pic standard, director Mira Nair even gives us numbers on how many miles Amelia traveled at a given point and also posts dates before every scene. It’s all so formula. Even the last 10 minutes, where radio communication with Amelia breaks and she realizes she’s in trouble, is ruined by the scene before it where both her and Putnam participate in one of those sentimental exchanges meant to make you cry, because you know it’s actually them saying good-bye. Plus, the whole movie is undone by the audience already knowing what’s going to happen anyway. Swank brings enthusiasm and determination to the role but all too often just feels like she’s giving an impression. That may also be due to the very weak characterization she’s given (mainly just playing a not-very-attractive woman who liked to fly).  I thought that Amy Adam’s Amelia Earhart in “Night at the Museum 2” showed much more pluck and personality. At the end of the day, “Amelia” is just dull, by-the-numbers, and instantly forgettable.

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