Film 108 (Goal: 300) of 2024

I've loved Adam Sandlers more serious fare, whether it be the recent Hustle, Uncut Gems, Reign Over Me, Punch Drunk Love, etc. And it feels like after a decade of near garbage releases through the NETFLIX deal, that Sandler is focusing on more serious fare. So I was very interested in Spaceman, a project I admittedly only knew about a few weeks before release onto the streaming platform. I didn't know much about the film, other than the title and the actor.

But Spaceman doesn't work for me. I really wanted it to but, and I'm deliberately not saying much but there's a pivotal moment early into the film, and if you don't buy in, I don't think you'll be able to enjoy the film. In case it wasn't obvious, that was me, I couldn't buy into this plot addition. I've seen some out there things in films and I think it comes down to direction and set-up as to how well you as a viewer will accept it. From that point on, the film was a struggle.

Another pivotal part of the film is the story of a failing marriage between Sandler's Jakub and Carey Mulligan's Lenka. It's essentially the underlying narrative from start to finish. And even though we are giving plenty of time to focus on their romance, I did not care. I don't know exactly what didn't work, maybe I needed some time together prior to the space flight happening, maybe I just don't care for Carey Mulligan. I say this every time he does serious fare but Sandler is good. Now this is no Uncut Gems or anything, but a lot of the film is anchored on Sandler's performance, and he's able to convey a lot as his character goes on a journey. This film doesn't come close to the rating I get without his performance.

Spaceman is an ultimately disappointing 2024 release that will likely be forgotten within weeks. Some will love it, others not so much. Which way you fall will likely depend on how much you accept the 2nd character onboard the space station. For some, that may just be a deal breaker.

From time to time, a movie comes along that’s hard to define, and, hence, it’s hard to know what to make of it. Such is the case with the second feature outing from filmmaker Johan Renck, a director best known for TV commercials and music videos, a reputation that bleeds through at times in this production. Viewer opinions and interpretations of this one are all across the board, making “Spaceman” one of the most challenging releases to peg in recent memory. This space-faring sci-fi release tells the tale of an astronaut (Adam Sandler) on a solo, long-term deep space mission to investigate a mysterious anomaly. However, he’s experiencing a profound sense of loneliness that’s distracting him from carrying out his quest, in large part because of marital troubles with his pregnant wife (Carey Mulligan) back on earth. As he seeks to sort out these matters, though, he’s further sidetracked by the unexpected appearance of an enigmatic alien that resembles a large nimble spider (voiced by Paul Dano) who possesses a profound philosophical wisdom. But how will all of this shake out, and what effect will it have on the mission? This scenario makes for an intriguing premise, but what exactly is the filmmaker’s intent in carrying it out? There are mixed tonal aspects here, some of which seem sincere, with others that come across as cheeky and cheesy, as if the director is giving the audience a good, sidelong wink. Indeed, it’s often difficult to tell which way the narrative is supposed to go. And, if straddling the fence is the real intent, it doesn’t quite work. So where does that leave us? I suppose it’s up to viewers to decide for themselves, but that seems shamelessly noncommittal. Based on the film’s attributes alone, there are good arguments for and against this offering. For instance, its ample metaphysical and philosophical insights are cogently presented and easy to understand, even if a bit saccharinely encrusted at times. It also represents a promising step up for Sandler’s attempt at reinventing himself as an actor in search of more substantive roles than the inanely silly parts he’s best known for. And the picture’s numerous deftly placed allusions to other sci-fi/fantasy projects enhance the narrative nicely, as seen in homages to “Interstellar” (2014), “Solaris” (2002), “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022) and even the lyrics to David Bowie’s Space Oddity. However, tedious pacing, occasionally poor sound quality and less-than-stellar visual effects (especially in the alien’s supremely tacky appearance) get in the way, further adding to the inherent overall ambiguity noted earlier. This one is thus up to you – and don’t be surprised if you come away from it with a different interpretation than what’s written here.