First Man

One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind The sacrifices of brave men one at a time, the sacrifices of fathers one at a time, the sacrifices of husbands one at a time, the sacrifices of whole and complete families for ones with a missing vital piece. That is the price we must bare for a technological and scientific breakthrough of new frontiers into the vast unknown. It is the loss we must not forget so that man can arrive and make contact with what once was thought to be intangible. The direction of Damien Chazelle with the music maestro Justin Hurwitz and adapted screenplay by Josh Singer brings together a less seen personal and character specific aspect to the world renowned moon landing of Apollo 11. The capturing of emotion through the cinematography and composition of the scenes are done exceptionally. With the musical motif of The Armstrongs and its variations being applied in different moments generating a kind of continuity. The acting of both Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong and Claire Foy as Janet are highly praiseworthy. The abundance of raw emotion, the shedding of tears, copping with one death after another and inner strength was so profound from Gosling and Foy. Just the way their relationship develops and matures was a real highlight. The strength of their bond transcends the utterance of words, it is so sincere, undying and understanding that is felt through the shared presence and the space they manifest. They aren’t big on grand gestures of love, it is subtle and underlying. Their mutual gazes strike deep into the other’s soul, it is raw and stark but surrounding this is a mutual trust, respect and a lifetime of love. A knot so tight it transcends all bounds and limitations. This was quite a refreshing film and important since not many are aware of these other failed and disastrous missions that culminated in an eventual moon landing. A film that truly hits hard for me with sufficient thrill and an abundance of emotions. An important piece of space history that needs to be told.