First Man

Composite Score: 83.07

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Patrick Fugit, Ciarán Hinds, Olivia Hamilton, Pablo Schreiber, Shea Whigham, and Lukas Haas

Director: Damien Chazelle

Writer: Josh Singer

Genres: Biography, Drama, History

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some thematic content involving peril, and brief strong language

Box Office: $105.71 million worldwide

Why should you Watch This Film?

                First Man is Damien Chazelle’s Neil Armstrong biopic, following the career of the astronaut from his time as a test pilot in California to his first steps on the moon, based on James R. Hansen’s authorized biography of Armstrong. The film stars Ryan Gosling as Armstrong in a role that explores just how far some men need to go to be able to address their grief (spoiler alert: it’s the moon). It also features Claire Foy as Neil’s wife Janet, doing much of the film’s heavy lifting as she works to keep her family together as her husband searches for answers among the stars. It works as a solid character study of both people and is a technical triumph in its sound and production design, making it a film worth watching.

Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?

                If you come into First Man expecting a powerhouse, groundbreaking performance from Gosling, prepare to be disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, he does a great job with what the script gives him; it’s just that the film’s premise of a man that can’t express his emotions well keeps much of Gosling’s range sidelined for the majority of its runtime, making it a fairly unremarkable outing from the two-time Oscar nominee. There are moments in the film where even Jason Clarke seems to be out-acting Gosling to no fault of his own. For a film that’s supposed to be about Neil Armstrong, I cared way more about his wife, friends/coworkers, and even the NASA projects themselves than I did about the character of Armstrong. I really don’t like hating on Ryan Gosling, and I do think it has more to do with the film’s writing than it does with his performance because, honestly, I think you could’ve put Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio in this role, and it wouldn’t have been any better (and maybe even worse).

So wait, why should you Watch This Film?

                As weak as the writing is for Neil, Claire Foy’s Janet carries the film. Her full acting repertoire is on display in First Man as she is called on to be the film’s and Neil’s rational and emotional center. Fresh off her first Primetime Emmy win for The Crown, she comes into this film with a winning combination of emotional weight, communicated in glances, expressions, and sudden explosions, and collected rationality, showcased in the way that she parents the couple’s children and speaks with confidence to her husband’s coworkers. She is far and away the best performer on screen for a majority of the film’s runtime, and without her performance, I don’t know that the catharsis that comes at the end of the film is even possible.

                Additionally, First Man is a technical showcase with sound (effects and score), visuals, and production design that draw the audience right into the story and help make up for some of its other more lacking points. The many shots that take place inside of cockpits bring the audience right along for the ride, eliciting a sense of claustrophobia, stress, and at times even dread for what might come next. The film’s extended climax on the moon is beautifully shot with a wonderful mix of silence and sound that invites the audience into Neil’s experience on the moon (or at least the one that Chazelle wanted to create). Though the character and performance of Neil might leave something to be desired, the culmination of his character arc ends up arriving at a near perfect moment of catharsis on the moon’s surface thanks in large part to the film’s high-quality production.

                Excellently crafted technical elements that provide for the film’s fitting conclusion work in tandem with a quality supporting performance from Claire Foy to cement First Man’s place as one of the Greatest Films of All Time. Though its treatment of its main character leaves something to be desired for most of the film, the other parts of it work so well to bring the work together that even Neil/Gosling get a moment to shine by the time it’s all said and done. This film is currently available to stream via Fubo or DirecTV or to rent on most other streaming services for those of you looking to give it a watch.