Good indie old-style sci-fic movie

Rating: 7/10 (25 February 2011)

A great British indie retro-sci-fic film that tells the story of a solar station on the moon and of San Bell, one of the caretakers, at the end of his 3-year contract.
The aesthetics of the movie are very much the same you could find in classic sci-fi of the 1970s, with miniature lunar sets, clean white interiors and furniture. Even the robot is chunky and heavy, more emotional than functional, nothing to do with modern robotics. The lunarscapes are also very retro, with the use of miniature vehicles that do look real. It is a well-known setting by sci-fi lovers and very enjoyable to see reproduced. Even the atmosphere is classic, with that unsettling feeling of old sci-fi movies.
Sam Rockwell really shines in his double performance, especially in the skin of the first character, showing what a great actor he is. The changes of clothing are minimal, but his performance really gives life to two different people. Really, this is a performance worthy of an Oscar nomination. In fact, Rockwell makes the movie, as it is him who carries the weight of the story and makes it believable.
Keven Spacey, the voice of robot Girty, is not especially inspired, though, as his voice is dull and plain and improper of a robot like the one in the movie, which is very chunky, heavy and not that developed. One would expect 1/ a more mechanical voice, if the robot is as it looks 2/ a more human voice, with more human inflexions and tone, in case the chunkiness is just apparent.
The storyline is excellent, but the script and the mood of the movie get deflated mid way, as the movie does not have a marked tempo and the in crescendo necessary for the viewer to get excited and anxious towards the end. Although the story carries on very well, there is not enough tension and mystery to give the movie the little push up it need it to get a more rounder film.
I hated the voice in off at the end, summarizing what happens at the arrival to earth... which I found a little bit cheesy and unnecessary, unless you want to shoot another movie departing from that.
The DVD contained a short film "The Whistle", which I found quite interesting, with good ideas and characters, but dull and with not enough dramatic and mystery tension.