I have been clamoring for a Neil Armstrong movie for a long time because his history with the NASA Space program and his mission to the moon is quite extraordinary. However, while I was researching, because this was my most anticipated movie of the fall season, there were some revelations, both personal and public, that I will not divulge because it is in the movie. But, the director and actor, Damien Chazelle and Ryan Gosling, are going into this movie with such great momentum with their past works with La La Land (which Gosling also starred in) and Blade Runner 2049 (my favorite film from last year), that my excitement could not be contained. My expectations were not quite as met but the movie succeeds on both from a technical and narrative levels.
Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) is a talented pilot that is offered to work with NASA for their Project Gemini. Neil is pleased but he wanted to focus on his daughter, Karen (Lucy Stafford), who is suffering from a tumor. Unfortunately, his daughter, Karen (Lucy Stafford), passes away and he has to immediately get back to work but he realizes he has been grounded since he is let go from the pilot program, leading him to write his last pilot report.
A year later, Neil joins the NASA's team of pilots and befriends Elliott See (Patrick Fugit). He has an interview with director Robert R. Gilruth (Ciaran Hinds) and astronaut Deke Slayton (Kyle Chandler) as he expresses interest to explore beyond Earth with an X-15 craft or more advanced. Afterwards, Neil is selected and tells his wife, Janet (Claire Foy) that he has been selected. NASA wants to get ahead of the Soviets in terms of advanced space exploration but there are numerous setbacks along the way, including the loss of co-workers.
This is a movie that is more focused behind-the-scenes on Armstrong's personal life than the exploration of the NASA Space program. We have seen that aspect from other films such as Apollo 13 and the great, underrated film, The Right Stuff, where they highlight both the missions and the personal struggles with the astronauts and their wives. The movie is heightened with suspense that Chazelle focuses on tight quarters such as the perspective of astronauts' visors that feel claustrophobic that you are quivering with fear alongside with them.
But, one of my two criticisms with Chazelle's filmmaking is that he tries to capture the 60s' style of filmmaking like it is a throwback but I was distracted with a lot of shaky-cam. His experimental filmmaking sets it to be more in the cinematic level than in the historical or human level, attempting to be informed that it feels like I'm there with them and not watching the movie. His shaky-cam experiment felt more of the latter and it is a bit disappointing to see that tired routine from a gifted director. It felt more like Paul Greengrass stepped in front of Chazelle to direct his own astronaut movie like an action film, no offense to Greengrass, his Bourne films are awesome.
The performances are quite sublime as I heard and read criticisms about Ryan Gosling's performance being more withdrawn or the same like his usual, quiet performances like in Drive and Only God Forgives and Blade Runner 2049. But, Armstrong was a private man and Gosling evokes subtle and quiet grief and professionalism with such grace and honesty that you believe him as the man. Claire Foy is given the role of playing the vociferous wife that sometimes scares both Gosling and the NASA directors as she expresses her disdain and fear regarding her husband and also the program. There is a good scene where she expresses her opinion to Armstrong to comment on the fact that there could be a chance that he might not come home to his kids. Also, there is a very solid supporting batch of actors here like Corey Stoll as the jerky Buzz Aldrin. Jason Clarke, Ciaran Hinds, Kyle Chandler and Shea Whigham also give very good performances.
Another criticism that I have is that all of the effort is going into the technical marvel such as the sound, cinematography by Linus Sandgren and another potential Oscar-nominated score from Justin Hurwitz that it backs away too much from the emotion and just view the scope of how realistic the space and moon scenes are. I did not feel as much emotional depth as with Chazelle's previous films. And, I heard criticisms about not showing the scene of them planting the flag on the moon. Patriotism is displayed throughout the movie with symbols of the flag. It is not showy and I was tired of those comments. Plus, the movie is focused on Armstrong and mankind's mission to the moon, not America's.
The movie will get some nominations, more on the technical side and also Foy and Chazelle and the movie will get nominations and deservedly so. It is a stacked field in the Best Actor category so don't be surprised to not see Gosling on the Best Actor ballot. First Man is a visual marvel to behold like you are there in space especially towards the last 30 minutes that are unreal. And, Chazelle is 3-for-3 on how to finish a movie (he may the best movie closer right now right up there Nolan and Villeneuve) and he is 3-for-3 for movies. Even though it could have been a tick better, it is still a very good movie.
***1/2
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