Greg Berlanti is a name that is synonymous with geek culture as he is the guy responsible for Arrow, The Flash, and pretty much everything DC as it pertains to CW. So much so, those shows are actually labeled as being a part of the “Berlanti-verse,” so when I saw his name attached as the director of Fly Me to the Moon, I was intrigued to say it lightly.
I mean yes, he also directed Love, Simon and Life as We Know It, but I still couldn’t wrap my brain around him sitting in the director’s chair (much less for only the fifth time for this tale that takes place in 1969 as the company is dealing with really two big stories: the conflict in Vietnam and the race to the moon. Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) leads a team building the Apollo 11 rocket under a lot of pressure to deliver Americans to the moon before the Soviets get there. However, the press coverage of that story is overshadowed by the horrors of war in Asia, so NASA hires a marketing expert named Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) to turn their story not only to the focus of the nation but also the feel-good story that will lift its morale. Her methods are unusual and her constant presence grates on Davis as he and his team work tirelessly while the mysterious Moe Berkus (Woody Harrelson) pressures Kelly from a completely different angle to make sure the landing happens at any cost.
There IS another angle to the plot of this film, and yes I know that it is talked about in the marketing. Personally, I would rather those of you that are going in as cold as possible get to stay that way to that part of this story. Writers Keenan Flynn and Bill Kirstein (who have limited experience in that particular department) work with first-time screenwriter Rose Gilroy to weave history with a romantic comedy that works a lot better than it has to. Although it IS formulaic with its turns, Fly Me to the Moon is not the kind of film that those looking to have Hollywood bring them something different would tend to flock to. Tatum (who is one of those actors that just seems to “get it” when it comes to the types of roles he selects) and Johansson have great chemistry, with the latter’s character having layers that unravel as the story progresses that she handles as can be expected from her at this point. There is also a supporting cast that is strong here including Ray Romano, Jim Rash, and Anna Garcia (whom I am saying to keep an eye on; she has done some things here and there, but she will definitely getting more and more work featuring her soon) who add more fun to this story while keeping it from falling into the trap of camp. It DOES have its share of sap, but combined with visuals that mix in actual footage, it comes together in a way that feels natural. There are also a couple of AMAZING Easter Eggs that won’t confuse those that don’t know what they are, but if you are a Gen-Xer and/or know something about the secondary plot, they really stick the landing to the point that the former of the two didn’t truly hit me until I was on the way back to my car and then hit me like a freight train.
Is Fly Me to the Moon a film that you should rush to the theater to see? If it’s a date night kind of thing, definitely put this as an option when you get there; however, since this is being done by Apple Studios, its arrival on your Apple TV+ streaming service is just as good of an option to check this out. It really is a good way to spend a couple of hours to just get away from it all.
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