Intense

Rating: 9/10 (6 June 2020)

This is an unexpectedly dark film. Not hagiography but rather a look at the men and women that were part of the great adventure to land a man on the moon.
They are not saints. This is not an episode of StarTrekâ„¢.
This is an intimate portrait of a man renowned for his skill as a pilot and engineer. But whose taciturn nature meant he did not seek fame nor openly display emotion easily.
This makes making a film far from simple.
The reviews here talk of the film's length and that is "boring". I disagree. The film's length gives it a chance to reveal Armstrong to us and to explore the huge gamble that was the Apollo.
Gosling's performance is stoic but underneath you sense a raw intense level of emotion in his Armstrong. It is a truly stellar performance.
Ignore the naysayers. Do not expect a boy's own adventure. This is a human drama not a sci fi fantasy. It is ultimately very powerful and I suspect will grow in reputation.