Director Rory Kennedy has released a new documentary, "Freefall: A Reckoning For Boeing," which revisits the safety and quality concerns plaguing the aircraft manufacturer. The film was largely inspired by the death of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, a prominent figure in Kennedy's previous 2022 documentary, "Downfall: The Case Against Boeing."
Kennedy told Decider that after "Downfall," which focused on the 737 Max crashes, she had hoped Boeing would reorient itself towards safety. "It seemed like they were doing that for a period," Kennedy said. "Then the 737 Max went back in the air after it was grounded. I started seeing the headlines again."
These subsequent headlines included reports of landing gear falling off planes during takeoff, smoke filling cabins, and a panel detaching from an Alaska Airlines jet mid-flight. The death of John Barnett, who was reportedly found dead amidst his depositions against Boeing, was a primary motivator for Kennedy to revisit the story. "That, more than anything, incentivized me to revisit this story," she stated, noting she had hours of recordings of Barnett.
While "Downfall" concentrated on the 737 Max model, "Freefall" broadens its scope to examine what Kennedy describes as a "corporation in freefall." The film delves into Barnett's history with Boeing, detailing how he was once a respected employee during the company's safety-focused era, but became ostracized when he raised concerns about production shortcuts and the use of scrap parts.
"He was the person who was saying, 'This bolt doesn't fit into this hole. There's scrap parts being used in this airplane,'" Kennedy explained. "Pretty basic safety concerns. But those safety concerns slow down production, and slowing down production costs Boeing money."
The documentary also explores the circumstances surrounding Barnett's death, though Kennedy opted not to frame it as a true-crime piece. "The story was unfolding in real time," she said. "I don’t want to reveal too much about what that investigation shows. I do think that what his lawyer says at the end of the film—that Boeing may not have been holding the gun, but they are responsible for John’s death—resonates."
Barnett's core desire, according to Kennedy, was for Boeing to return to its foundational principles of excellence and safety, which historically made it a leading American company. "When a company is so willing to sacrifice that North Star for purely profits, the company itself falters," she observed.
The film features accounts from other whistleblowers who came forward after Barnett, all reportedly echoing similar concerns about scrap parts and the punishment of employees who reported safety issues. Kennedy highlighted that these issues could potentially compromise aircraft safety at a catastrophic level.
Reflecting on the current state of Boeing, Kennedy expressed that change requires public engagement. "For things to change, people have to watch the film, understand what’s going on, and also take action themselves—whether that’s writing letters to Boeing, writing letters to the FAA, writing letters to your congressperson or senator, and voting this fall," she advised. She also suggested consumers could make informed choices about airlines and aircraft, noting that JetBlue, for example, does not fly Boeing planes.
When asked about her personal flying habits, Kennedy stated, "If I can fly Airbus, I’ll fly Airbus over Boeing. I won’t personally fly on a 737 Max or a Dreamliner."