Neil Armstrong became a household name after he became the first human to step foot on the moon. Armstrong passed away in 2012 at the age of 82, but more light has been shed on his legacy in the film “First Man,” which came out Friday.
The combined talents of Damien Chazelle, the director behind “Whiplash” and “La La Land,” and actor Ryan Gosling have taken the story of America’s quiet, “reluctant hero” and turned it into one of the greatest movies that have come out in 2018 so far.
The plot of “First Man” details the life and struggles of Armstrong in the years leading up to the moon landing and showcases the extreme toll the mission took on his mental health and family life.
A story such as this might seem like an odd choice for Chazelle because his previous films were fictional and centered heavily around music. However, Armstrong’s ordeal fits perfectly with the themes that Chazelle likes to incorporate in his plots.
“Whiplash” and “La La Land” both showed the limits the protagonists were willing to push and what they would sacrifice to achieve their dreams, and, in this regard, “First Man” is no different.
Armstrong is a man completely consumed by his mission who tries to bury anything that might distract him. However, the mental toll from the constant threat of danger and the loss of so many of his friends on failed Apollo missions might have been too much for any one man to handle, no matter how important the end game of the moon was to him.
Gosling, already having established himself as one of the greatest actors of the generation, plays this character to perfection. He manages to make Armstrong incredibly reserved yet highly emotional.
He never fully breaks down, even when hit with a near-death experience and enormous tragedy. But, there is always something brimming just below the surface. Without resorting to melodrama, Gosling makes the audience fully connect with Armstrong’s pain.
This is Gosling’s show for sure, but the supporting actors do a great job as well. Claire Foy is a standout as Armstrong’s wife, Janet. The movie does not sugarcoat how the job affected his family life, and it is made all the more effective by Foy’s powerful performance as the character watches her husband drift away from her.
It is Chazelle’s direction that truly elevates this film from a standard biopic to something memorable. He showcases a masterful ability to change up his usual style to suit the needs of the story.
Whereas “Whiplash” and “La La Land” were characterized by long, unbroken shots that put the characters on display, “First Man” goes for the opposite approach with a frantic style that makes heavy usage of quick cuts and shaky cam.
This never feels confusing or poorly executed. Rather, it perfectly gets viewers inside the head of Armstrong during chaotic moments. It is dizzying and even hard to watch at points, but it is never frustrating for the sake of being frustrating.
The buildup to the moon landing is a slow one, but the payoff is absolutely spectacular. By the time the climactic moment arrives, audience members will genuinely feel like they are stepping on the moon with Armstrong.
This extended scene is easily one of the most visually captivating moments to hit theaters in recent memory. The way this movie manages to take a bittersweet and melancholy approach to the moon landing, a moment of great joy for the United States, is surprising and memorable.
The world was so in awe of this event that they didn’t stop to think about how the people behind the landing may have been negatively affected.
“First Man” is easily one of the most powerful and impactful films to be recently released. It is a perfect combination of great acting, breathtaking cinematography and a thoughtful, emotional story.
At the center of every Chazelle film seems to be the same question: was it worth it? As Armstrong takes his first steps on the moon, but is no less broken and traumatized for it, it is up to viewers to answer this question.
