Film Review | First Man

First Man is directed by Damien Chazelle and stars Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy.

Drama, Biography. Released 2018.

First Man is Damien Chazelle's third major motion picture, and tells the personal story of Neil Armstrong and the build-up to him making history as the first man to step on the moon. 

Due to Chazelle's previous work, Whiplash and La La Land, this was a film that I was looking forward to, especially since it is Damien Chazelle & Ryan Gosling's second team-up following their musical masterpiece from two years ago. 

This was a film which I was initially conflicted about, but upon reflection, I have grown to appreciate it more. Upon the first viewing, First Man was a surprise to me, due to the unexpected quiet and personal tone. Its a long film, and it is rather slow-paced, which is one reason I was initially conflicted on it. 

However, I went in expecting the film to be mostly set in the NASA headquarters, but most of the first act concerns Neil Armstrong (Gosling)'s family life. Surprisingly, even though I went in to the film anticipating a more action-based, thrilling space epic, it was the more personal and intimate parts of the film which resonated with me more, and this is due to the powerful lead performances. 

Ryan Gosling delivers a very internalised and withdrawn performance - although this emotional distance doesn't encourage audiences to invest themselves in his character, it is very powerful and a performance that is likely to stick with me, due to its enigmatic nature. What I respect about Gosling is that he never overdoes anything, yet never seems to be restraining himself; although he is somewhat subdued here, it works for the character and his history - I hope he gets some recognition when Awards season comes around. 

Claire Foy gives an excellent supporting portrayal as Janet Armstrong, and, unlike Gosling, immediately commands the attention of audiences whenever she is on-screen, which offers a pleasing contrast between the married couple. Her work truly leaves an impact.

As I said, this film is slowly paced and feels repetitive at some points - I can appreciate that Chazelle was clearly attempting to portray the real rawness of the entire experience, however the pacing is the main issue of the film, and the film would have likely resonated with more audiences if the plot progressed faster.

However, the technical aspects of this film are of supreme standard. The very detailed sound design combined with the handheld camerawork makes for some riveting sequences throughout the film, and the sweeping and smoothly executed climax of First Man is an apex example of its effect. It pleases me that even though Chazelle's expected standard of storytelling is not on full display here, he still proves to be a wonderfully visual director, and I am still eagerly anticipating his next piece of work.

A slowly paced but riveting biopic
of Neil Armstrong, with leading performances
deserving of awards recognition