Review of First Man (2018) by Matt D — 13 Oct 2018

First Man focuses on the personal struggles of astronaut Neil Armstrong as much as it focuses on the struggles the Gemini and Apollo teams face as they attempt to do a nearly impossible feat. Armstrong is a grieving father unable to communicate with his family about the pain he is trying to overcome through work, and understandably his family has a hard time understanding their lives in the context of the missions Neil and the rest of the team are trying to accomplish.

All of this is set against a fraught political backdrop that adds context and complexity to the narrative. The acting is superb. Gosling gives an understated performance as Armstrong, and Foy steals the film in several key scenes.

What is most impressive is that every scene feels like it has to be there. Though La La Land is more charming and Whiplash has a better standout performance, the sum proves to be better than all of the individual parts in First Man, and the parts are pretty damn good.

The emotional complexity reaches a peak in the final scene, perfectly executed and beautifully directed. This entire movie takes a simple story and makes it a must watch experience.