An astronaut finds sexism is universal
“Proxima” is a film about a female astronaut that feels more authentic and emotionally attuned than similar recent efforts, such as Netflix’s alreadycanceled “Away” television series and the film, supposedly “inspired by true events,” “Lucy in the Sky.”
Perhaps that’s because “Proxima” remains a downtoearth affair, most of the way, toward liftoff. The film centers on the training and issues facing Sarah Loreau — played by Eva Green in her finest and most demanding performance to date — after she’s chosen for an International Space Station mission.
Directed by France’s Alice Winocour, the movie follows Sarah from her home in France to Germany, where she drops off her lessthanthrilled 7yearold daughter, Stella ( Zélie Boulant, with a performance as multifaceted as any adult in the film), with her ex, Thomas ( Lars Eldinger). He’s also a space scientist and supports Sarah in this great opportunity, at least when it’s not an inconvenience for him.
The film took full advantage of its international collaborators, filming scenes in many famous sites for space research across the world, including Russia’s Star City, the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. In Russia, Sarah does 9G stress tests and capsule rescue drills in water tanks.
Winocour — who also directed the efficient bodyguard thriller “Disorder” and cowrote “Mustang,” a powerful tale of oppressed Turkish girls — immerses us in the arduous work of astronauts preparing for space travel. Green’s performance provides a raw look at the physical and mental wear and tear the mission exacts.
As the only woman on the mission, Sarah is forced to prove she has what it takes to surpass the low expectations of male Russian trainers and her chauvinistic American colleague Mike Shannon ( Matt Dillon, with his unparalleled ability to play an insinuating jerk). Mike is subtle when sharing his views, pointing out French women’s cooking abilities at a news conference, and even suggesting Sarah should
“Proxima” enthralls with its deep dive into the mechanics of astronaut training.
request a lighter prep schedule.
“It’s not like I’m calling you a space tourist,” he tells Sarah while having drinks with another member of the crew.
“You didn’t have to,” she snaps back. “You were thinking it so loud.”
As the tests and time away from her daughter drag on, however, Sarah reaches a point where she feels Mike might be right. Her stamina hits a wall, a nagging wound on her leg refuses to heal, and motherly worries start to cloud her focus on the mission.
She finds encouragement to push forward from an unexpected source, which may be the most Hollywood twist in this otherwise pragmatic, mostly European production. On the other hand, the 11thhour burst of unprofessional emotionalism plays like something you’d expect if you watch a lot of French movies. So the film’s narrative slips, like having half of its dialogue in English, are evenly distributed.
For the most part, however, “Proxima” enthralls with its deep dive into the mechanics of astronaut training. Green presents a woman with the right stuff for it, but maybe she can’t give up the parts of herself the job demands. It’s a stress test the actress passes with flying colors.
Yes, this is a fine feminist story. It’s a very good human story as well.