First Man ** (2018, Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Olivia Hamilton) – Movie Review

‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.’ How familiar are those words! How familiar is this story! Director Damien Chazelle’s nostalgic biopic First Man retells the story the life of the legendary American astronaut Neil Armstrong from 1961 to 1969, on his dangerous path to becoming the first man to walk on the Moon on 20 July 1969, with the help of his LA LA Land star Ryan Gosling.

Chazelle’s eager-beaver film is painstaking and conscientious, but it tells a familiar story rather plainly, in a kind of naive awestruck, fan-driven kind of way, as though he has only just heard the story and wants eagerly to share it with everybody. Unfortunately the story is old news, and Chazelle cannot disguise that. He brings no new take to it, and doesn’t even come to a clear point of view on the sacrifices and costs of space travel, though he does clearly state them.

Endless shots up Ryan Gosling’s nose start to get boring on the IMAX screen. Claire Foy looks suitably worried standing in the wings as Mrs Janet Armstrong, and she does well though it is not a very exciting role to play, while Jason Clarke and Olivia Hamilton make an impression as the ill-fated astronaut Edward Higgins White and his wife Pat White, though their roles could be more expanded and better written.

Several other well-known good actors are in there somewhere – Pablo Schreiber, Christopher Abbott, Ethan Embry, Ciarán Hinds, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Shea Whigham, Shea Whigham, Lukas Haas – but none has anything memorable to do, nothing to make the film special. It is all about Neil Armstrong. It is a personal story, a character study of Neil Armstrong, more or less just about him, and Ryan Gosling does well too, though he lacks the kind of charisma or star power that would carry this movie into orbit, excellent actor though he is.

It is true that he is acting a character with an inner life and private conflicts, and that is hard to translate to the screen, especially the IMAX screen. Gosling certainly looks the part, and gives a strong, vital impression of a man conflicted between outward strength and inner doubt.

Yes the space and launch sequences are beautifully re-created but the still available original newsreels are unforgettable images and don’t need re-creating. First Man ends up thoroughly smart, professional and honourable, well made and well acted, but unexciting, and even a little dull.

The soundtrack is insistent and annoying, and the film is at its best by far when the director trusts natural sounds. Nevertheless, it won the Golden Globe for Best Original Score – Motion Picture (Justin Hurwitz).

First Man is perhaps best for young, teenage audiences, though there is a warning for peril content involving and brief strong language.

The screenplay is by Josh Singer, based on the book by James R Hansen.

First Man was nominated for four Oscars and won just one – Best Achievement in Visual Effects (Paul Lambert, Ian Hunter, Tristan Myles, J D Schwalm).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Movie Review

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