BY JOHN MCDONALD MARCH 11, 2024
Adam Sandler, to the masses out there, is known as the court jester; with his endless supply of slapstick comedies that stretches over three decades. But now and then (you can count them on one hand) the actor will grace us with one of his serious performances, with the success of these being… surprisingly positive when thinking about it.
We have another one to add to the list though, and the latest film in Sandler’s collaboration with Netflix too. This new sci-fi film, Spaceman, is adapted from Czech writer Jaroslav Kalfař’s 2017 novel Spaceman of Bohemia and thrusts Sandler into space’s eternal prism of loneliness as he struggles with the visions of his own demons while becoming friends with the unlikeliest of creatures.
SYNOPSIS
Jakub Procházka was raised by his grandparents in the Czech countryside after being abandoned as a young boy. He works as a scientist before trying to become the Czech Republic's first astronaut.
REVIEW
Jakub (Sandler) is an astronaut in the middle of a year long voyage to space to investigate a mysterious purple cloud called the “Chopra Cloud” which has appeared in the sky. Jakub, who is dubbed “the loneliest man in the world” left his pregnant wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan) alone on Earth while embarking on this mission, an act that has made Lenka desperate to leave him. Jakub, who is plagued by the memories of his youth and the life of his father, must now decide if the mission is worth losing his marriage over and if he will ever be at peace again.
There’s a twist though, because Jakub isn't as alone on this voyage as he thinks he is. Hanus is the interesting stowaway that makes its presence known to Jakub, and after an initial hostile interaction, he becomes the Dr. Melfi to Jakub’s Tony Soprano, by voluntarily turning into the man’s counsellor. Oh, and we forgot to mention that Hanus is a giant anthropomorphic Spider who uses the soothing voice of Paul Dano to great effect. The two characters soon delve into the mind of Jakub to tackle his issues, much to the latter’s initial annoyance, while exploring the depths of space and inching ever so closer to the Chopra Cloud, which Hanus calls “the beginning”.
Spaceman has the makings of a varsity athlete (the last of The Sopranos jokes, honestly) but it suffers from a severe case of identity crisis. Director Johan Renck has ambitious
intentions, but you can’t help but think that it’s a watered-down BTEC version of more impressive sci-films about loneliness, such as Ad Astra and Interstellar – it’s Adam Astra if anything. The themes are there, the addition of space Aragog is unique and gifts the film some interesting brotherly scenes between the two characters, but it evidently falls flat because it’s too similar to the aforementioned films as well as being very light on the story too.
Sandler himself doesn’t help proceedings and it’s obvious to everyone watching that this was a huge miscasting. That’s not to say Sandler can’t do the serious stuff, fans who have watched Uncut Gems and Punch-Drunk Love will know this to not be the case, but his inconsistent Czech accent and the poor delivery of those heartfelt scenes are just not cutting it at all. The writing hasn’t helped though because some of the dialogue that transpires throughout the film leaves a lot to be desired, apart from the wise words that Hanus often expels to the skinny human (the name he continually calls Jakub).
It's not a complete bust though because Spaceman does have some really nuanced and sweet moments. The relationship between Jakub and Hanus is important for the growth of both characters, and the scenes between them are actually quite lovely. Dano’s line delivery is exceptional here, with those soothing tone-like whispers that aim to coerce the thoughts and memories out of Jakub and force them under the microscope for examination. The flashback scenes that are set on Earth are the film’s only real supernatural presence (disappointing because it is based in space and all) but they do possess some zest and are stitched into the sequences seamlessly. On board the spaceship though, it’s not as exciting, and before too long, it becomes a little tiresome to watch Sandler slowly move around his craft in an apparently endless loop.
The supporting cast hardly get a mention either, apart from Mulligan that is, whose character is important to the narrative, and her performance warrants a lot more screen time as well. There’s some brief screen time for Isabella Rossellini too, who portrays the space programs boss, as well as small part for Lena Olin as Lenka’s mother. Kunal Nayyar also appears as Petr; Jakub’s go to technician at the space station on earth.
Spaceman is a very easy watch, but it shouldn’t be because it does deal with a lot of interesting and hard-hitting subjects and that’s the most disappointing thing about the film. Casting Sandler in the lead was a risk that didn’t pay off, which might have been a surprise to many considering his past dramatic work. Spaceman will, however, fall into the abyss of space itself by being one of the most forgetful films to come out this year, and it keeps up with the inconsistent nature of original Netflix films.
STAR RATING
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