Plot Summary – Neil Armstrong, an American NASA test pilot, and his fellow Apollo Program team-members zip themselves into insulated suits and set out on a mission to land on the moon.

★★★★★ 

Watched 05 Feb, 2021

While I understand what people didn’t like about this film, I could not relate because I found this film to be simply flawless in its execution. I am a huge fan of Whiplash and I saw the merits in La La Land even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of it, but Damien Chazelle has not failed to impress with this masterpiece. It’s such a gripping take on a man who has been romanticized and mythologized in American folklore. Instead of glorifying him, they show him warts and all and it’s honestly beautiful. Ryan Gosling gives a spectacular performance as the stoic and deeply hurt Neil Armstrong who’s life is riddled with tragedy. Claire Foy acts as the perfect foil to his character and brings another layer of emotional depth to the story. The writing is so rich and each dialogue feels like it has emotional weight behind it. I love the intensity jump in the third act as we go into space and it became this ‘edge-of-your-seat’ thriller which is what elevated the film for me from a 4.5 to a perfect score. The score is so engrossing and definitely complements the film very well. I really loved First Man and I would recommend it to people who don’t mind a more contemplative drama.