Damien Chazelle and Ryan Gosling are flying from the City of Stars to the moon for their second collaboration: First Man is adapted from James R. Hansen's First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong biography and explores the events leading up to the Apollo 11 mission, which first put man on the moon in 1969. Documenting such a monumental moment in human history is always a difficult feat but if there's is a hot new director to take on the task, it's Damien Chazelle.
Eager to beat the Soviets in the space race after a number of set backs, NASA set their sights on the moon, recruiting a group of astronauts to make the first lunar landing in history. Requiring a 'start from scratch' approach that requires precision and dedication the world has never seen before, along with the liability that comes alongside it, the Apollo 11 mission is arguably the more complex undertaking in human history.
First Man is an endurance test. It's exhausting, it's intense, it's emotional but it's brilliantly rewarding too. An astonishing technical accomplishment, Damien Chazelle's third feature continues a hot streak that began with Whiplash and continued with La La Land, my favourite film of all time. A well-crafted space film that manages to balance both the technicalities of such a mission while delving deeper into the emotional impact of those left behind, First Man explores the life-changing events on the moon with a focus on the more personal, profound impacts that it has on those left on Earth and at home.
Josh Singer's screenplay is perhaps a little too dense at times, and running at 141 minutes, it is no doubt a tiring task at times. But such a pivotal moment in human history deserves a thorough telling, and Singer manages to find more to say than simply discussing the mechanics of such an undertaking; he manages to weave context and subtext into his screenplay with a deft understanding of the environment at the time. He resists turning Armstrong and co into glorified American heroes, remaining steadfast in his portrayal of NASA's finest. His consideration of loneliness and isolation administers additional meaning to the script and help advise the more understated performances at the heart of First Man. It's pacing begins to loosen somewhat in the middle act but by the time the finale rolls around - a third act that transitions a 'very good' movie into a 'very great' movie - it is a highly-impressive piece of carefully-constructed work that combines the intellectual with the emotional.
Damien Chazelle's direction is totally absorbing, with his strong visual style and aesthetics fully immersing you in the era and setting. Shaky cam is not something that particularly works for me, but Chazelle gives all his directorial decisions meaning and agency, transforming First Man into an experience that hits on every single level. As mentioned, as well as being a great technical accomplishment, Chazelle finds heartfelt emotion in the story that he so gorgeously executes on the screen, delivering perhaps the most heartfelt and heartbreaking cinematic moment of the year: it's a breathtaking moment that will be forever rendered in my heart. Again proving his immense talent, Chazelle's well-balanced film is as authentic as it is bold, approached with a dignity and honesty towards its subject matter.
Ryan Gosling asserts himself once more as one of the most gifted actors in the industry. It is a terrific, purposely-internalised star turn that pushes beyond the obvious to portray Armstrong and his psyche with precision and depth. It's an understated but brilliantly thoughtful performance seemingly above needless melodrama; I suspect that 'detached' arguments may come into play but Gosling's is the very opposite of that in my eyes - it is so absorbed in Armstrong's state of mind and he truly transforms, losing himself in the mind of the moonwalker. Skilled and realistic, this is bound to go down as a standout role for Gosling.
Claire Foy is similarly impressive, channelling a steadiness and strength that so carefully cracks as we draw closer to the Apollo mission that will take her husband to the moon. Her poise and turmoil are felt so deeply across the entire film; even throughout the louder, more attention-demanding mechanics, Janet and the Armstrong's inner-turmoil is at the very centre of it all, reinforcing one of the narrative's main, largely unanswered questions: is it worth the sacrifice, in money and in lives? It is a testament to Foy's exceptional abilities as an actress that she leaves such an impression, even in a supporting capacity.
Justin Horowitz's sweeping score is one of the year's very best, a superlative soundtrack that enhances First Man's every emotion. It's a gorgeous, stirring and evocative collection of tracks that fantastically captures the atmosphere and tone of Chazelle's film. But the film goes beyond a terrific score and crafts an impeccable, wider soundscape too; protracted silence punctuates the piece at such expertly-pinpointed moments, often leaving you breathless as it intensifies at crucial moments of the film, to such startling effect. You are hypnotised in a way, with the use of such quietness truly breathtaking - particularly in that final 'this is what you came for' act. It's a truly extraordinary feat.
First Man launches into Oscar season with a well-calibrated, technically-impressed and emotionally-profound exploration of Apollo 11, one balanced in its approach to both the big-scale mission and the personal stakes attached to such a task. Damien Chazelle's direction and visual flair are tremendously immersive, enhanced by Linus Sandgren's fine cinematography and great production design across the board. Bolstered even further by a pair of phenomanal performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy, both of which deserve attention as we enter award season, First Man aims high and largely succeeds with a journey to the moon that delves deeper and soars further than your standard biopic adventure. One small step for Hollywood, one giant leap for Chazelle and company.
Summary: Damien Chazelle's First Man aims for the moon and largely succeeds, crafting an immersive experience that balances the technical with the emotion to superb effect, bolstered even further by a pair of outstanding performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy.
Josh Singer's screenplay is perhaps a little too dense at times, and running at 141 minutes, it is no doubt a tiring task at times. But such a pivotal moment in human history deserves a thorough telling, and Singer manages to find more to say than simply discussing the mechanics of such an undertaking; he manages to weave context and subtext into his screenplay with a deft understanding of the environment at the time. He resists turning Armstrong and co into glorified American heroes, remaining steadfast in his portrayal of NASA's finest. His consideration of loneliness and isolation administers additional meaning to the script and help advise the more understated performances at the heart of First Man. It's pacing begins to loosen somewhat in the middle act but by the time the finale rolls around - a third act that transitions a 'very good' movie into a 'very great' movie - it is a highly-impressive piece of carefully-constructed work that combines the intellectual with the emotional.
Damien Chazelle's direction is totally absorbing, with his strong visual style and aesthetics fully immersing you in the era and setting. Shaky cam is not something that particularly works for me, but Chazelle gives all his directorial decisions meaning and agency, transforming First Man into an experience that hits on every single level. As mentioned, as well as being a great technical accomplishment, Chazelle finds heartfelt emotion in the story that he so gorgeously executes on the screen, delivering perhaps the most heartfelt and heartbreaking cinematic moment of the year: it's a breathtaking moment that will be forever rendered in my heart. Again proving his immense talent, Chazelle's well-balanced film is as authentic as it is bold, approached with a dignity and honesty towards its subject matter.
Ryan Gosling asserts himself once more as one of the most gifted actors in the industry. It is a terrific, purposely-internalised star turn that pushes beyond the obvious to portray Armstrong and his psyche with precision and depth. It's an understated but brilliantly thoughtful performance seemingly above needless melodrama; I suspect that 'detached' arguments may come into play but Gosling's is the very opposite of that in my eyes - it is so absorbed in Armstrong's state of mind and he truly transforms, losing himself in the mind of the moonwalker. Skilled and realistic, this is bound to go down as a standout role for Gosling.
Claire Foy is similarly impressive, channelling a steadiness and strength that so carefully cracks as we draw closer to the Apollo mission that will take her husband to the moon. Her poise and turmoil are felt so deeply across the entire film; even throughout the louder, more attention-demanding mechanics, Janet and the Armstrong's inner-turmoil is at the very centre of it all, reinforcing one of the narrative's main, largely unanswered questions: is it worth the sacrifice, in money and in lives? It is a testament to Foy's exceptional abilities as an actress that she leaves such an impression, even in a supporting capacity.
Justin Horowitz's sweeping score is one of the year's very best, a superlative soundtrack that enhances First Man's every emotion. It's a gorgeous, stirring and evocative collection of tracks that fantastically captures the atmosphere and tone of Chazelle's film. But the film goes beyond a terrific score and crafts an impeccable, wider soundscape too; protracted silence punctuates the piece at such expertly-pinpointed moments, often leaving you breathless as it intensifies at crucial moments of the film, to such startling effect. You are hypnotised in a way, with the use of such quietness truly breathtaking - particularly in that final 'this is what you came for' act. It's a truly extraordinary feat.
First Man launches into Oscar season with a well-calibrated, technically-impressed and emotionally-profound exploration of Apollo 11, one balanced in its approach to both the big-scale mission and the personal stakes attached to such a task. Damien Chazelle's direction and visual flair are tremendously immersive, enhanced by Linus Sandgren's fine cinematography and great production design across the board. Bolstered even further by a pair of phenomanal performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy, both of which deserve attention as we enter award season, First Man aims high and largely succeeds with a journey to the moon that delves deeper and soars further than your standard biopic adventure. One small step for Hollywood, one giant leap for Chazelle and company.
★★★★★★★★✬☆
(8.5/10)
Summary: Damien Chazelle's First Man aims for the moon and largely succeeds, crafting an immersive experience that balances the technical with the emotion to superb effect, bolstered even further by a pair of outstanding performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy.