Film Review - Fly Me to the Moon
Images courtesy of Sony Pictures.
The space race is a historical period that continues to fascinate to this day, as many of us marvel at mankind’s achievements and wonder what lies beyond the stars. Hollywood has already produced several movies and documentaries about the moon landing, such as First Man and Apollo 11. However, the fictionalised comedy-drama Fly Me to the Moon depicts these events in a very different way.
Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) is a smart and savvy marketing executive, who knows her way with words and how to alter her persona to seal a deal. As the United States tries to beat the Soviet Union to the moon, Kelly is hired by NASA to fix their image, much to the dismay of launch director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum). While sparks undoubtedly fly between the two upon their first meeting, Kelly’s resourcefulness and unique methods make Cole’s job much more complicated. Despite this, the pair work well together. Having successfully sold the moon landing to the people of America, she is eventually approached by the White House with an extremely unorthodox proposal. As the mission is deemed too important to fail, Kelly is ordered to go behind Cole’s back and stage a fake moon landing as back-up.
While Fly Me to the Moon’s high concept may seem a little ‘out of this world’, the film surprisingly works, delivering both lightheartedness and emotional depth. The space race and world of NASA makes for a unique, entertaining and high-stakes rom-com backdrop. The dialogue is snappy, the characters are well-rounded and there’s as much conflict on Earth as there is in space. Johansson and Tatum bring their star power to the screen, sizzling with chemistry from the get-go. While both are in fine-form, it’s Johansson’s energetic and charming performance that steals the show. The pair are backed by a solid supporting cast that includes Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, and Jim Rash as a humourously bitter and flamboyant movie director.
The film perfectly captures the era of the 1960s, thanks to its intricate production design, costumes and old-school soundtrack. There’s plenty of nostalgia here to revel in, amplified by a script that sticks to timeless and crowd-pleasing narrative elements. While most of it works, the film does fall victim to Hollywood’s love of overlong runtimes, with a third act that should have been much shorter. It also takes a surprising amount of time for the fake moon landing to be introduced, which is marketed as the film’s primary plot.
That aside, Fly Me to the Moon is a trip definitely worth taking. Audiences will come for the thrills of space, but stay for the moving and human story at its centre. Whether you’re a rom-com fan, a space nerd, or a conspiracy theorist, there’s something here to satisfy everyone.
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Fly Me to the Moon is screening in cinemas now. For tickets and more info, click here.