'It'll be an adventure'

Rating: 7/10 (17 March 2019)

One of the most memorable quotes in the past hundred years is the familiar 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind' - the words we all heard when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969. James' R. Hansen's book has been adapted for the screen by Josh Singer and the film is directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash).
The film covers the years 1961 - 1969 in the life of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), beginning with Armstrong's trials as a pilot and proceeds through his training for the Gemini mission and the famous moon landing. Along the way the psyche of the astronaut is explored by revealing his interactions with his wife Janet (Claire Foy) and terminally ill daughter Karen (Lucy Stafford), his friend and fellow astronaut Ed White (Jason Clarke) and his wife Pat (Olivia Hamilton) whose lives alter Neil's perception of his mission. Nods are given to Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll), Elliot See (Patrick Fugit) and other very small cameos.
Much of the film is very loud, with all the harrowing tension that accompanies the launching and flight of spacecraft extended to near the breaking point. The facts are there but what is missing is a storyline that allows the audience to accompany Armstrong's historic mission. It is a noisy adventure with rather flat performances by the main characters, but it does encourage recall of that momentous day in 1969 with reality.