First Man
Neil Armstrong was an American hero who pushed space exploration into a new frontier. So any big-screen bio will surely be a sympathetic chest-thumper, right? First Man is not that movie. It’s a gritty and sobering drama in which the leading man rarely speaks. And yet, despite its restrained tone, the film will shake you to your core. A stonefaced Ryan Gosling is Armstrong, a man who keeps his emotions in check whether he’s hurtling a jet in and out of the atmosphere or talking to his wife (Claire Foy). This cool-headed attitude makes him a superstar in NASA’s lunar program, and he eventually leads the 1969 charge to the moon. His feats aren’t portrayed with the rah-rah fanfare seen in films like Apollo 13. Director Damien Chazelle (La La Land) underlines the fact that the space program was a dangerous, unglamorous business. Instead of majestic visuals, he puts you in the claustrophobic cockpit. Buckle up. Even the tension leading up to one of the most well-documented days in history is almost unbearable. One note: The lack of character development is likely to frustrate some hoping for fresh insight into this enigmatic legend. But this extraordinary biopic accomplishes something more meaningful: a deeply contemplative journey about unspoken courage. And wow does it stick the landing.