Ryan Gosling
has been a mainstay of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters and smaller, more exclusive films for two decades. After The Notebook (2004), the actor bounced between these two types of films, with certain films punctuating what appears to be an impressively varied career. He starred in both Blue Valentine’s Day (2010), a devastating drama that tugs at the heartstrings, and The Gray Man (2022), a huge Netflix box office hit.
Some of Gosling’s films, however, seem to follow this line and fall into both the auteur and blockbuster camps. Blade Runner 2049 (2017), for example, is a huge sci-fi spectacle, but it also features some complex themes. The same general idea applies to the critically acclaimed Barbie (2023), in which he played Ken, but also for his collaborations with Damien Chazelle, both of which were critically acclaimed.
The realism of the first man impresses a former astronaut
Ryan Gosling’s space film earns perfect scores for two main sequences
Real-life astronaut awards First Man a perfect note for its realism. Launched in 2018, Chazelle’s historical drama chronicles the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong and the space mission that ended with him becoming the first man to walk on the moon. Gosling takes on the role of Armstrong in the film, which features stunning space sequences and emotionally charged moments, especially as seen in the First Man end. The film was nominated for four Oscars, winning for best visual effects.
In a recent video for Insiderold NASA astronaut Nicole Stott analyzes selected scenes from First Manincluding a training scene and the launch of the Saturn V rocket. According to Stott, both scenes are true to what astronauts, including Armstrong, would have gone through at the time. For the training scene, which shows Gosling strapped to a rotating machine and falling unconscious, Stott expands on the purpose of what she reveals to be a multi-axis trainer:
“The machine he is training on is called the Multi-Axis Trainerand by that means it can spin you in all different directions at the same time. And again, I’m really glad that as current astronauts, we don’t do the same thing. And the goal was to make your head a little fuzzy and make you have to respond to the load and the forces that were upon you.
The Saturn V launch also features a strong degree of realismparticularly in terms of representing the effects of shaking and shaking on the astronauts inside the space shuttle. Stott also details the different stages of the release seen in the film, ultimately awarding First Man a perfect 10 out of 10. Check out the rest of the review below or watch the video (relevant section starts at 5:46 p.m.):
“There is something reminiscent of that, being able to watch someone else’s launch, even in a different spacecraft, to reflect on what it was like to launch in the spacecraft you fly in. I will say, though, that I think the shaking these guys had on the Saturn V was much more intense than the one we had on the space shuttle, where I still felt like I was jelly inside.
“The Saturn V was a gigantic spacecraft. You have a big, long rocket, right? You have what we call the first stage, you know those big engines that were fired on the launch pad to get the vehicle off the pad and moving in the direction it was supposed to be going. These engines die and this part of the vehicle separates. And now you turn on these other engines in the back of it. It goes on and on through these different stages. Ideally, it burns and there is no debris caused.
“I would rate these clips in First Man a 10 [out of 10]. I love that in this film they took advantage of the real images that exist, and they just improvised or were dramatic if they needed to. Even in the places where they were bringing it to a higher definition, it still felt like it would have been from that time.”
What First Man’s Realism Means for the Film’s Reputation
Gosling’s second collaboration with Chazelle was a mixed bag
First Man was well received by critics at the time of its release and currently holds a strong 87% critic score on Rotten tomatoes. The audience score is lower, 68%, and this more tepid response is reflected in the film’s box office performance. Made with an estimated budget of US$59 million, First Man only grossed $105.7 million worldwide, meaning it probably didn’t break even.
That being said, First Man remains a fascinating film by Chazelle and one that has seemingly grown in popularity since its release. The film was widely praised in reviews for its breathtaking visuals, strong performances, and moving story, and the fact that it’s also realistic in terms of astronaut scenes means it has another element worth celebratingg. However First Man may not be Gosling’s most-watched film, Armstrong remains one of his most interesting roles, and the film’s precision only further cements his place in his filmography.
Source: Insider