First Man
Film
Review by Kam Williams
Neil
Armstrong Biopic Explores Emotional Angst of Legendary Astronaut
Neil
Armstrong made history on July 20, 1969 when he became the first
person to walk on the moon. In retrospect, the NASA astronaut
proved
to be the ideal pick for the honor, since he never subsequently
sought to cash in on his celebrity status.
Instead,
the reluctant hero modestly eschewed fame and fortune, withdrawing
from the limelight in favor of sharing his pearls of wisdom with
future generations in the classroom as a college professor. He even
discouraged biographers until he finally agreed to cooperate with
James R. Hansen on “First
Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong.”
Published
in 2005, the 768-page opus has now been adapted to the screen by
Oscar-winning scriptwriter Josh Singer (for Spotlight). However, the
biopic covers only 1961
through 1969, Armstrong's
early years in the space program, ending with
Apollo 11's historic lunar landing.
The
picture reunites Damien Chazelle and Ryan Gosling whose collaboration
on the delightful musical La La Land (2016) netted the former the
Best Director Academy Award and the latter a nomination in the Lead
Actor category. First Man is a relatively-sober affair which divides
its time between chronicling the astronauts' perilous training
regimen and speculating about the ever-stoic Armstrong's inscrutable
psyche.
The
movie's somber tone is set not long past the point of departure when
Neil and wife Janet's (Claire Foy) 2 year-old daughter Karen loses
her battle with brain cancer. In lieu of mourning, he throws himself
into his preparations for space flight, and his emotional
unavailability puts an unspoken strain on their relationship.
Meanwhile,
the risks associated with the Gemini and Apollo programs only further
intensify Armstrong's palpable angst. After all, numerous astronauts
died in accidents during training, including his close friends Ed
White (Jason Clarke) and Elliot See (Patrick Fugit).
In
terms of special f/x, First Man tends to telescope tightly on what
transpired in the cockpits, so brace yourself for lots of hand-held
camera work from the astronauts' point-of-view, as opposed to the
awe-inspiring God shots you ultimately get from the lunar surface.
A
fitting tribute to an American icon best remembered as a humble,
vulnerable soul with human frailties.
Very
Good (3 stars)
Rated
PG-13
for peril, mature themes and brief profanity
Running
time: 141 minutes
Production
Studio: Amblin Entertainment / Perfect World Pictures / Dreamworks /
Universal Pictures / Temple Hill Entertainment
Studio:
Universal Pictures
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