Spaceman

What a weird movie! One isn’t sure whether to believe what we see or if what we see is simply being used as a device. One thing we are sure of is that Adam Sandler is capable of more than stupid romcoms and buddy movies.

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This could have been a spectacular flick, but it isn’t because it stops short of leaning into both its weirdness and its gravity.

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We don’t really believe the love story that is the substance of the movie. He’d been a terrible partner since day one so she knew what she was getting into, and her behavior is something no partner of an astronaut would do.

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So, parts of the script didn’t hit the right tone. But the idea is fantastic! I was squicked out enough to be on the edge of my seat the whole time.

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Ultimately, when he is furthest away from Earth and all that he holds dear, he decides to become a man. There is nothing more boring than a becoming-a-man story. But the spider, now that is a very clever addition, and we are left with something to chew on. Was it real or not?

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Sandler gets points for carrying an entire movie by himself, but I enjoyed the voice of the spider more than anything else. It’s very soothing and the spider is wise.

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Recommended, but don’t have expectations.

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