First Man
*ing: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Claire Foy, Neil Armstrong, Christopher Abbott, Ethan Embry, Ciarán Hinds, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Shea Whigham, Patrick Fugit
Rated: 8/10
Neil Armstrong may or may not register on the present generation but Ryan Gosling will surely make them revel in history’s biggest moments — the first man taking the first steps on the Moon. Gosling’s intense portrayal of Armstrong through his journey of life captivates the audience in slowmo and leads through the film to make it one of those gems you would like to be with more times than one.
The story encapsulates Armstrong’s most private moments, his family life, his camaraderie with fellow astronauts and his spatial passion which come through in a quiet and dignified manner. You live Armstrong’s life through Gosling and that’s a huge achievement for the actor.
Thanks to the excellent cinematography, the movie is sublime what with planet Earth being left behind a zillion miles in quest of a bigger, unexplored and dark universe full of secrets that Armstrong brings to light with a giant leap for humanity by just one step on the Moon.
The director merges the film well with terrestrial and extra-terrestrial concerns that Armstrong and his strong personality face, tackle and steer clear of. The movement and pace of the film gives it a thriller shell from which it emerges only when emotions are at play.
The eerie stillness of space is so astoundingly captured by a gingerly roving camera that even a decibel comes across as a screechy intrusion to the ultimate peace that you settle into with Gosling and his non-gravitational existence on the blemished satellite.
Armstrong in his youth is as captivating as an engineer as he is as an astronaut. Goslings lives all the moments with clarity and precision, something endemic to any space walker, most of all Armstrong.
The movie has been adapted from James Hansen’s biography on Armstrong and the writer would be happy with the clean adaptation of this stunning film on a subject so widely discussed over the decades.
A must see.
