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Hilary Swank does well with tomboys. She won Oscars for both "Boys Don't Cry" and "Million Dollar Baby." Those films were intimate character studies; "Amelia" is not. Although "the film puts the actress in a similar woman-in-a-man's-world position, it is a sweeping biopic that deals more with plot points than the aviatrix's motivation and inner demons. As nice as the aerial photography is to look at, the movie is an empty vessel about a girl's dreams rather than reality.

The story of Amelia Earhart is the subject of so many books and television specials, it's surprising that the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic has not been given the proper Hollywood treatment until now. Swank's Earhart is a model proto-feminist, refusing to give way to compromise and proudly rocking her short hair and trousers. She also never loses her positive attitude. From her early deals with publisher George Putnam (Richard Gere) to her rise to fame and eventual marriage to her sponsor, Earhart never loses that winning smile.

Director Mira Nair is known for creating visually appealing films ("The Namesake," "Vanity Fair") that breeze over the grittiness of the human condition. One gets the feeling that Nair's goal is simply to wring out an emotional response, even if the methods are cheap. The same goes for "Amelia." The melodramatic score sets the tone for too many "When I was a girl in Kansas" anecdotes and slow dissolves into the wild blue yonder.

In many places, Nair heads in the right direction; she just doesn't push ideas far enough. The structure, which includes flash forwards to highlights of her fateful trip around the world, shows Earhart fascinated with the wildlife of Africa and the majesty of the Afghani desert. There should be more of this. Earhart the explorer is just as interesting as Earhart the pioneer.

The same can be said for her affair with West Point flight instructor Gene "Father of Gore" Vidal (Ewan McGregor, "Moulin Rouge"). Their coupling is treated like a fleeting infatuation, and Earhart's reunion with Putnam comes far too easily. The movie, however, does a nice job of showing Earhart the celebrity and Putnam the puppet master. There are several enjoyable scenes of the pair teaming up to push Lucky Strikes, waffle irons and a line of luggage.

The most annoying thing about the film is a reliance on clichéd period piece transitions. All the newsreel footage that bleeds back into the story is hard to sit through. Nair even stoops to starting scenes in black and white, then fading into color. If it weren't for the marquee names and breathtaking cinematography, the film would be nothing more than a television movie of the week distributed to multiplexes.

Above all, the film is a tremendous waste of talent. As usual, Swank buries herself in the role. Her depression-era cadence is perfect, and she nails the pilot's aw shucks Midwest attitude. The biggest trick Swanks pulls off is walking the line between sexual creature and gung-ho flygirl. A few characters say something to the effect of "You're much prettier in person than in pictures." Swank reacts to these moments with grace, not overwrought grimaces.

Gere, who isn't given much to work with, conjures up a subdued version of his Billy Flynn character from "Chicago." Aggressive and demanding, Gere's Putnam is a convincing publicity hound. And in the quieter moments, he sells his love for Earhart with tender kisses and genuine remarks of admiration. Without these two performances, who knows how bad the movie would be.

To be fair, the production team faced a tremendous challenge: Take a story that is drilled into the American consciousness and make a fresh, entertaining narrative. Some people do well with challenges; others don't.

"Amelia" isn't terrible. It's just comfortable, like a pair of out-of-style relaxed fit jeans. The mild treatment of Earhart's personal turbulence and a PG rating will likely make it popular with middle school history teachers too lazy to write lesson plans on days they call in a substitute. Earhart — and the aviation industry — deserve more.