Great acting and directing, albeit a tad formulaic.

Rating: 8/10 (20 October 2018)

First man is an impressive film overall- the directing and acting is top notch. Claire Foy gives one of the most emotionally complex performances I've seen in a long time, even with a type of character we've seen done before (the worried wife of the astronaut). Many of the scenes that take place on earth are filmed with the same sense of wonder that you are meant to feel during the space sequences- something I really appreciated. The wonder and importance of spending time with your family is emphasized as much as the need to explore space and complete the mission- which was really the central conflict for Neil, portrayed very tenderly and intimately by Gosling. All that considered however, the plot (and I know with it being a true story they can't alter much, and they shouldn't) unfortunately feels routine, something we've seen in other space movies before, such as Apollo 13. The lead character is training and going to space, things go wrong and the stakes are raised, a bunch of guys are hunched over computers at NASA, and there's a worried wife at home. I do appreciate the perspective Chazelle decided to take, focusing on Neil's inner struggle to honor the sacrifices people have made to get to the moon, while at the same time taking his children and wife into account and wanting to be there for them. It was just the bones of the plot surrounding the inner struggle of the characters that unfortunately made the film feels formulaic. But see it by all means and form your own options! Claire Foy's Performance alone is worth the admission price.