"First Man" Review - A Smaller Step Than The Rest

I went into seeing “First Man” with low expectations. After all, this is the first film by Damien Chazelle that’s not his full baby since it’s based off a historical event and it’s not his screenplay. This script was a simple cliche Hollywood biopic that was dropped into Chazelle’s hands that I don’t blame him for accepting to take on. After all, it is the moon-landing and it is by the guy who wrote “Spotlight”.

Going into that, “First Man” was pretty good. It’s very well directed as Damien always accomplishes, but what’s weird is his directing style simply doesn’t fit this type of movie. As a result, it’s not a film that truly entertains you like La La Land or Whiplash, which were both more exciting, thrilling, fun, moving, and even dark at some points. While the film does have some exciting moments, especially the lunar ending, this film is mainly a slow churn character biopic on Neil Armstrong’s time at NASA. I think it would’ve been better suited in another director’s hands, because Damien Chazelle tried to replicate his past successes on this by using shaky cam, shooting very long scenes, but it simply doesn’t fit. As a result, the movie is way too long and it feels you feel bored or maybe even nauseous at some points of the movie

The acting performances by Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy are wonderful, and the music is beautiful and memorable. Also, Trump lovers, THE FLAG IS IN THE MOVIE. So there’s that. LOL. It’s a well made film that I feel somehow could’ve been edited better and handled differently. A film about the moon landing is significant and deserves to be told, but it doesn’t need too much cinematic flair nor does it need to be such a long dragged out film.

I think in the end, many people will like it, but it’s not something I would watch ever again. Hopefully in the future, we will see more full bodied Damien Chazelle projects, because when he has both hands on the wheel, we all are blessed with the magic he can bring.

One Nebs Up!