I’m starting to notice something distinct about Damien Chazelle’s films, that being they’re often far harsher and more melancholy than people who haven’t seen them realize. They’re advertised as either an entertaining romp, or in the case of First Man, as an uplifting story of Neil Armstrong’s progress towards the Apollo 11 Moon launch in 1969.
And yes, it’s partially that sort of film. But much like how Whiplash was more a story of verbal abuse/degrading sanity and how La La Land hid a story of struggle and heartbreak underneath all the upbeat singing and dancing, this biopic directed by Chazelle and Josh Singer portrays the toll of Neil’s journey as being far greater than we imagined.
La La’s male lead Ryan Gosling reunites with Chazelle to play Armstrong, from a period starting in 1961 up to the legendary mission closing the decade. It’s impossible not to feel for him as he grieves for the loss of his daughter to a brain tumor, a situation NASA is concerned may be affecting Neil’s performance and mental well-being.
But he’s nevertheless accepted for their Project Gemini program alongside other spacefarers like Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll) and Ed White (Jason Clarke). His life alongside his wife Janet Shearon (Claire Foy) seems to be taking a turn for the better when he and the other astronaut families move to Houston, trying to take the lead in the space race against the Soviet Union.
Most people who’ve ever picked up a history textbook have been spoiled to whether or not Neil and crew’s blast-off was successful, but the strength of Chazelle’s direction and the effectiveness of most of the performance of the cast still generate some strong excitement and drama. Particularly in how the space missions are designed, which feel like a hellish theme park ride with the bolts shaking as if the ship is going to come apart.
The fear in Neil’s eyes is totally understandable throughout these missions, but he’s able to keep a cool head during crisis moments, such as a very terrifying moment during his Gemini 8 mission where the craft spins out of control.
There are points in First Man where the astronauts come off almost like human lab rats in the physical ordeals they’re put through. One can only imagine the discomfort of the team being hurled around in a simulator, then having to attend a detailed training course after many of them throwing up.
The screen time devoted to the Apollo 1 tragedy, directed very chillingly by Chazelle, cements the danger that Neil’s facing. Gosling is able to convey a believable moment of sudden shock when he receives the horrific news.
I also liked how the movie doesn’t shy away from criticism of NASA. While it’s not the primary focus of the narrative, there are moments when Janet can’t hold her tongue at their ability to protect Neil, and the program does come under protest.
It’s easy to see Gil Scott Heron’s (Leon Bridges) point about the financial and human cost of the missions and where the money should really go- because it is, of course, the 1960’s. But First Man is both a celebration of Armstrong’s legacy as well as a deconstruction of it, and there’s emphasis on Armstrong becoming more determined than ever to reach the Moon and prove his doubters wrong.
The one issue that I feel holds the movie back from being “amazing” as opposed to “very good” is how restrained Gosling’s performance as Neil comes off at points. He’s effective in terms of making sure the audience is always rooting for him, especially in some scenes towards the beginning and one towards the end that lacks dialogue, but still feels very powerful. But there isn’t that boyish energy he’s displayed in other performances.
And perhaps he is playing the role true to the real Armstrong’s personality, but I wouldn’t have minded a little more intensity when the situation warranted it. It’s mostly Claire Foy’s performance as Janet that will leave the biggest impact on audiences. It’s especially clear in how she pushes for Neil to be more open with the kids about the potential danger ahead that he might not return home, shaken after she sees Ed’s widow (Olivia Hamilton) almost in a trance after losing her husband.
Ultimately, First Man is a bit too understated at points, but it’s a sophisticated and smart drama with a good emotional core to it, and some exciting space exploration sequences that are well executed without going overboard with CGI all over the screen. I don’t feel that over-the-top, scenery eating performances would have been right for this movie either, especially if that’s not how the real events were, but a quicker pace would have elevated the story more.
Still, there’s a lot to enjoy about it, and it’s cool to see more of these solid biopics like Selma and Lincoln that opt for focusing on a critical portion of the hero’s life as opposed to going cradle-to-grave. I’ll give it a fair recommendation. If you’ve rocketed to your local theater to see this, as always, give us your opinion at @Official_FAN on Twitter!