First Man

— The story of Neil Armstrong’s path to becoming the first man to walk on the moon, in Damien Chazelle’s hands, is a personal story of the inner thoughts and fears with which Armstrong struggles as much as of the national race to the moon. It’s at its best when dealing with the Gemini and Apollo missions, able to provide a realism that’s often nerve-racking, emphasizing the fragility of our space efforts and our own significance in the larger world. On earth, the film isn’t quite as good when looking at family and friends, perhaps because the cadence just seems a little off. In the end, it does a great job of making us question the costs associated with the space race both on a personal level and as a nation. I liked the film’s look and intent a little more than the film itself.

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[2018. 141 min. Directed by Damien Chazelle. Starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, and Pablo Schreiber.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/first-man-2018