On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, La La Land,
Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for
Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story of NASA’s mission to land a
man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the years 1961-1969. A
visceral, first-person account, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the movie
will explore the sacrifices and the cost—on Armstrong and on the nation—of one
of the most dangerous missions in history.
Director: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey
Stoll, Ciarán Hinds, Christopher Abbott, Patrick Fugit, Lukas Haas
Release Date: October 12, 2018
Genres: Biography , Drama , History
Rated PG-13 for some thematic content involving peril, and brief strong
language
Runtime: 2h 21 min
Review:
First Man is an incredible achievement on multiple levels. Damien Chazelle’s film is a technical
achievement as it puts you in the ships and modules on a visceral and
claustrophobic level. All of the flight
sequences are just trilling but that shouldn’t come as a surprise considering
Chazelle’s talent. The quieter moments,
there are plenty, are just as engaging thanks to a pair of wonderful
performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy.
Gosling’s turn is understated but you can sense the simmering emotions
behind his eyes. Neil Armstrong is
always guarded but driven by past pain as portrayed by Gosling. Claire Foy is just as strong throughout; so
much so that you wished the film spent a bit more time with her but the film is
focused on Neil. It’s an introspective
yet epic tale about the man who achieved such a landmark moment in human
history. The flag controversy is
thoroughly overblown as the film couldn’t display American achievement anymore
than it already does. First Man is an
engaging character study that tries to get us into this pioneer’s headspace and
does it with class.
A-
