Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, Jim Rash
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Runtime: 132 mins. Reviewed in Jul 2024
Reviewer: Peter W Sheehan
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Marketing maven Kelly Jones wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’ already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, the countdown truly begins.
On the one hand, this is an old-style romantic comedy, memories of the 1930s and what was called screwball comedy. On the other hand, the setting is 1969 as NASA prepares for its greatest achievement – the moon landing. And they come together entertainingly here.
For those of those who remember 1969, it is a welcome reminder of the atmosphere of the time, the heightened excitement as July neared. The sense of achievement, something of a balance to the turmoil of the Vietnam War. Audiences for whom this is something of remote history, it is an opportunity to learn something of the atmosphere of the times. In the 21st-century, we live in an age of conspiracy theories, many of them outlandish. However, even back then there were conspiracy theories that the moon landing did not happen, that everything was manufactured on the studio lot – and the film later re-creating this speculation, Capricorn One. The screenplay here amusingly incorporates the conspiracy theory of the fabrication of the moon landing along with the real thing.
Scarlet Johansson is definitely the star of this romantic comedy as Kelly Jones, one of her most forceful performances. Something of a con artist, skilful in promotion and advertising, then recruited by a mysterious secret agent who claims he has a line directly to President Nixon, and played with smilingly smug complacency by Harrelson. Her mission is to make the moon landing and its preparations much better known to the American public.
What follows is an extraordinary look at American brashness, self-confidence, promotion of any product by any means possible – and here, on radio, television, print, rallies, breakfast cereals, Omega watches, soft drinks are all incorporated into the promotion as well as, more seriously, some extraordinary lobbying of senators who are inclined to cut off funds for NASA. Kelly is able to rise to every occasion, walking over most opposition, changing her accent at a moment’s notice, flirtatious one minute and religiously devout the next.
The other part of the romance is a rather more serious, Tatum. A former Korean pilot, the launcher chief for the Moon project, he is conscientious about his work – though the screenplay is a bit satirical about him and his style. When, by chance, at a diner, he sees Kelly, he is infatuated – but soon disillusioned when he discovers her mission and sees how she operates – the manipulation of truth and outright lies. But, he does get caught up in the melodrama, often unwillingly.
While the film is strong in its presentation of the NASA work, the visuals of the plant, the control room, It entertains the audience with the whole setting up of the fake landing, the studio, moon rocks and dust, space vehicles and gear, all rehearsals about space walking… And an extraordinarily prissy director.
A wandering NASA black cat is key to the events – especially for the fake landing. So, on the one hand, romance and comedy. On the other, memories of when America was greater than it is now…
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