Watching "Pushing Tin" is what it must be like on a doomed passenger airliner — minus the life-threatening aspect, obviously. It's got its exciting moments, but you definitely wish you could get out before it ends.

This uneven and ultimately disappointing comedy is based on an acclaimed New York Times piece, "Something's Got to Give," by Darcy Frey, about the overly stressed air traffic controllers at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control center.

Unfortunately, the script has been written by a pair of sitcom veterans ("Cheers" co-creator Glen and Les Charles), who think that this interesting story should play out like a sitcom — right down to a series of plot contrivances so ludicrous and predictable that even schlock television producers wouldn't touch them.

And in addition to its shoddy treatment of an interesting subject, the film largely wastes the talents of a terrific, appealing cast, which includes John Cusack, Angelina Jolie and recent Oscar nominees Billy Bob Thornton and Cate Blanchett.

Cusack stars as Nick Falzone, TRACON's best controller. Nick really has it all: a loving wife, Connie (Blanchett), adoring, loyal friends and co-workers and a job that fulfills his need for excessive thrills.

However, all that changes with the arrival of Russell Bell (Thornton), a newcomer who's even better at handling the overwhelming workload and the accompanying stress. Needless to say, a personal and professional rivalry ensues between the two men.

With Nick's all-consuming drive to be the best, their feud soon develops into a dangerous game of one-upsmanship. What's worse, they use their co-workers and families as pawns, including Russell's beautiful young wife, Mary (Jolie), with whom Nick has a disastrous fling.

It's pretty clear where things go from there, with the soap opera-like plot progressions that feels incredibly awkward and forced.

To its credit, the film does start strongly. But it also ends with a real thud, simply because director Mike Newell ("Donnie Brasco") can't sustain the manic energy that fuels the film's promising first hour.

There's no faulting the performances, though. As Nick, Cusack is a seething cauldron of emotions, ready to bubble over at any time. Thornton is nearly as good, despite the fact that his character is so poorly written.

However, both Blanchett and Jolie are saddled with ridiculous accents that they can't possibly pull off.

"Pushing Tin" is rated R for profanity, female nudity, a violent tussle and vulgar sexual talk, as well as some crude jokes.