One could argue that America is in dire need of some heroes. What with the nation more divided than its been in a century and news arriving almost daily about someone somewhere saying something that raises the hairs on the backs of our collective necks… the timing could not be better for a film such as First Man.
The true story of Neil Armstrong, and his fellow astronauts, and their triumphant mission that found the USA putting boots on the Moon first has come home on Blu-Ray, DVD and digital download formats. Oscar winning director Damien Chazelle reunites with his La La Land star, Ryan Gosling, as the actor sensationally channels the American hero that we could not need more right now.
What is so fascinating about First Man is it is one of those biopics where the audience thinks they know everything there is to know about one of America’s finest moments—yet after witnessing Chazelle’s stunner of a cinematic experience, look to find our appreciation for what Armstrong, NASA and American know-how accomplished all those decades ago shoot through the roof.
Gosling could not have been a more impeccable choice to portray Armstrong. Sure, he is reserved, serious and all-business. But if you think about it, how else should someone act who is about to embark on a mission that might result in his kids growing up without a father? A lot was riding on this mission and that layered aspect is painted perfectly by Chazelle and his team. As an appreciator of history, particularly the space race, I can proudly report that screenwriter Josh Singer captured the Cold War aspect of the Moon mission and how our entanglement with the Soviets largely drove our best and brightest to do everything they could to ensure that President Kennedy’s dream of putting an American on the Moon by the end of the 60s became a reality. A lot of credit too must be placed on Singer for his ability to adapt James R. Hansen’s book, First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong and bring its most important, thrilling and historically resonant themes to the big screen.
As written, the part of Janet Armstrong was a thankless role. In the hands of Golden Globe winner Claire Foy, it is an explosive turn. There is a moment or two, like one in the First Man trailer, that could have had audiences rolling their eyes keenly knowing that Mrs. Armstrong in no way said those things that she is credited with saying. Yet, with Foy in command, those very moments are going to be the scenes shown when her name is announced as a recipient of an Academy Award nomination. Cannot say enough of what Foy brings to the part, and particularly what she does when she and Gosling share scenes. Armstrong was very much a man of his time, but there is a moment between the two leads that pulls at the heartstrings. It involves Neil talking to his children about the mission and the risks and between Foy’s set-up and Gosling’s delivery, it is the emotional undercurrent of the film that enhances the triumph of what Armstrong accomplishes all those thousands of miles away up in the sky.
Gosling delivers and understated performance. Lord knows he can give us flash (The Nice Guys anyone?), but in this case, what some may have perceived as a muttering performance, I instead see a turn that impeccably embodies what that man was and is to history. In this time of selfish leaders and what appears to be an absence of inspirational souls, First Man should light a fire underneath every American as it reminds us of what we as a country is capable of when we work together towards a common goal. Frankly, it is just so inspiring.
Bonus features abound and not only explore the technical marvel that is First Man, but also the historical landscape it inhabits and the folks who achieved greatness bringing a great man and all those who supported him and his story to life.
Putting You in the Seat is the most fascinating of discussions concerning the sight and sound stylings of Chazelle’s film. When those Oscar nominations are revealed, look for many below-the-line nods to come First Man’s way.
Chazelle talks about what drew him to the project in Shooting for the Moon and why Gosling was a natural choice to embody the American hero. It may seem after working with him on La La Land that the helmer would have just chosen the Canadian actor after their fruitful experience on that movie musical. But as we learn in this featurette, it was not a given. In fact, it was a challenging casting and one that proved brilliant in hindsight.
Giant Leap in One Small Step delves deeper into Armstrong’s family life and how filmmakers felt it important to shine a light on that aspect of the astronaut—an aspect that is often overlooked when discussing Armstrong’s greatness. It is a terrific featurette, one that is a must-see as it further enhances the heart aspect of the heart-racing moments of the film.
Preparing to Launch is interesting for one huge reason and that is that filmmakers learned that not much is known about Armstrong beyond what he accomplished and their hopes that through their tireless work that he will be seen as a much more of a three-dimensional American, versus merely the first man to walk on the Moon. I’d say they succeeded on that front enormously.
The stunt work involved in bringing heroism to life is explored in Mission Gone Wrong while Recreating the Moon Landing is exactly what you think it would be—and is one of the more important of bonus features on the First Man Blu-Ray. While simultaneously exploring what really happened while taking us behind-the-scenes of how it was recreated for the movie, a deeper appreciation for all that went in to getting us to the Moon will emerge.
One of the greatest thrills for all those involved had to be being given the green-light by NASA to shoot there. Shooting at NASA shines a spotlight on those moments and for a space nerd like me, it is sensational.
The audio commentary cannot be recommended enough. Not only does it feature Chazelle and Singer, but also film editor Tim Cross. One gets a highly informed schooling on the making of the movie from a technical, historical and scientific realm that adds so many layers to the First Man experience.
Film Grade: A
Bonus Features: A