Directed By Greg Berlanti

Starring – Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Woody Harrelson

The Plot – Brought in to fix NASA’s public image, marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task of putting a man on the moon. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as backup

Rated PG-13 for some strong adult language, and smoking

FLY ME TO THE MOON – Official Trailer (HD) (youtube.com)

POSITIVES

In the 60’s astronauts were rockstars as a result of a public relations campaign that got moon fever, and in the case of a fictionalized retelling, we experience what some of that pandemonium might’ve felt like, especially with a space program that was mere inches from being cancelled all together. As a result, Berlanti does a remarkable job of zeroing in not only on the particulars of the time period, with seamless perfection in production designs that recreate the fashions, backdrops, and products of the flower power generation, but also in the obstacles of pulling off such a mission, which would’ve definitely been the last for America, if we did in fact fail in reaching the moon. Berlanti balances details just as smoothly as he balances tones, with the film experiencing a fine offering of both spunky humor and warmhearted sentimentality towards maintaining a compelling atmosphere to the depths of his experience, but as previously commended, it’s the look and feel of this particular place in time that the film spares no cent of its ample budget in conjuring, completely transforming the texture and grading of the presentation by combining it with modern technology inside of a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, which demands the film to be seen on the biggest and widest screen imaginable. It’s also clear that Berlanti has done his homework on the essence of 60’s cinema, this time with a jazz-dominated score from Daniel Pemberton, exuding a cool, calm and collected factor to the proceedings that works cohesively with the aforementioned imagery, as well as smoothly alluring scene-to-scene transitions involving side scrolling, that prescribed a classic touch to structural storytelling. As previously mentioned, so many of the inside truths about the launch that we’ve come to realize are marginally altered and exaggerated here, but never in ways that sacrifice the integrity or importance of the mission that remains at the forefront of the movie’s focus, even choosing to tap into a popular long-running rumor of the landing being falsified, as a means doubling down on the stakes and circumstances of this vital mission producing some compelling drama for the third act climax. Berlanti’s decision to also include archival footage of the launch itself, as well as televised footage, is a major victory for a film that lives and thrives by the adventurous ambition of the American spirit, enacting a deeper and larger meaning to what continuously hangs at stake, while the entirety of the film’s script is condensed in scope, driven by the blossoming love of Kelly and Cole’s story, with their own ongoing gags towards keeping the air in atmosphere very light-hearted for the engagement. One such gag once again pertains to a four-legged feline that nearly steals the show from his human co-stars, appearing only in doses to wreak havoc on the race against the clock that I truly couldn’t get enough of. For those humans, the film is blessed by a wonderful ensemble who each bring something integral to their respective portrayals, however this is a case where the leads inspire precedent, with Johansson, Tatum, and Harrelson providing uniqueness to the range we’ve come to expect in each of them. While not the first time that any of them have played against type, the comedic commitment by Scarlett, the dramatic straight approach from Channing, and the antagonistic edginess vibes of Woody was a lot of fun to experience, especially when not forced to share the screen with as many as whole teams of supporting co-stars. This is especially the case for Johansson and Tatum, who despite some issues with the development of their on-screen romance, have no problem generating the much-needed chemistry and charisma needed to fall under their magnetic charms, with a mental chess game of sorts predating their opening up towards one another that is both fun and funny to see who gets the upper hand. Often times, it’s Scarlett, who with an abundance of throwaway accents at her disposal, exudes think-fast intelligence and fearlessness that even in 2024 is still refreshing to see in a lead heroine in movies, all while attempting to evade the brawn and bravado of Tatum’s allure, which no woman is safe from.

NEGATIVES

Unfortunately, ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ does lose a little fuel on the way to its 127-minute destination, primarily with the inconsistencies of the script, which provide some overwhelming obstacles that stand in the way of the film reaching its true potential. For starters, the focus of the film is a bit strange, as overwhelming dependency on the launch undercooks the romance of Kelly and Cole, resulting in abrupt developments between long-winded time gaps that made me even forget that this was a film of the romance genre to begin with. While I can understand that the launch itself is one of the biggest events in American history, and thus the cause for the setting of the film to begin with, I could’ve used more attention within the smaller scope of two people, in contrast to the immensity of the stakes and mission at hand, especially with the chemistry of Johansson and Tatum being as palpable as it was towards conjuring such a believable dynamic in the power shift that came to define both of them for the better. Because the film undercuts the romance, it leaves the run time feeling a bit strained and meandering, especially in the issues of the first and third acts, which hyperextend most of the movie’s pacing. During the opening act, the storytelling is so rushed and abridged that it constantly feels like we’re watching a montage, instead of living in the world with these characters, and while more entertaining at least, as a result of the first long-term conflict of the film, the third act and its climax stall a bit too long in the extent of its execution, which make it feel every inch of the 95 minutes that have already passed before its arrival, with even another 32 to go at that point. While there’s a few scenes that I would definitely trim from the finished product, I think a script balancing its launch with the promised romance could’ve definitely warranted every bit of such an ambitious run time, but because we’re essentially only given half of the story in consistency, it leaves that half of the material feeling stretched, while the other half is obscured by immensity that constantly overshadows it, resulting in a bit of a waste for the talents of Johansson and Tatum, who bring so much cadence and depth to two characters whose humanity could easily be lost by the zaniness of the movie’s design, but instead persevere as a result of their endless commitment. Finally, I truly felt that the film used Kelly as a plot device to her own resolutions, enacting lazy solutions to such sporadic conflict. Being that her character make-up is that she’s good at thinking on her feet and of course beautiful, it gets her out of every obstacle that springs in her way, leaving the film free from drama until its climax, with even certain resolutions being edited out towards ever being shown on-screen. To do this once would be harmless enough, but because the film frequently uses this gift as a way to springboard past focus, it serves as a device that abolishes any kind of tension or uncertainty that the film and its characters can muster, with convenience finding a way to somehow falsify American history.

OVERALL
‘Fly Me to the Moon’ may be a fictionalized account of America’s grandest exploration, but the inspiring direction from Greg Berlanti, as well as the breezy vibrancy of the detailed production designs, prove a lot of heart and authenticity to its intention, even if the script is on a whole other planet all together. Despite this, the impeccable chemistry and radiant charisma from Johansson and Tatum has the audience seeing stars, leaving this one small step for summertime cinema, but one giant leap for American pride, at a time we need it most.

My Grade: 7/10 or B-