The lighting is well done

Rating: 2/10 (21 October 2018)

The lighting, special effects, sound, costumes, and props were superb. The rest is a failed attempt at connecting Armstrong and his family to us and our experiences of joy, sorrow, and anxiety. What do you call intentional camera work that gets so close focus continuosly goes in and out, subjects become unreadable, and constant jerkiness exhausts your brain? Is this radical technique necessary to relate the viewer to Armstrong's humanity? To make us feel as if we are getting a glimpse of a poorly shot home movie? Live through the speed and force of his experience? It is so obvious it feels like a gimmick. Perhaps I am biased as I just saw a film directed by Bradley Cooper who managed to do exactly this with sublime subtlty.