Fly Me to the Moon is a space-age romantic comedy starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum.
At this point in cinematic history, there are nearly as many space-themed movies as there are stars in the galaxy. From The Martian to Interstellar to Galaxy Quest, space has always been central to audiences’ attention in sci-fi storytelling. But Fly Me to the Moon strays from standard space movie protocol by taking place almost entirely on Earth; it’s more of a down-to-earth romance than a tale of hard science or space exploration.
When I first heard about the concept for Fly Me to the Moon, it sounded like one of those fake movies that Stardom’s avatars starred in early on in their careers — hackneyed, overproduced nonsense with a blatantly ridiculous plot. In all my years of movie-going, I’ve never had my expectations so dramatically betrayed.
An otherworldly love story that playfully walks the line between drama and comedy, Fly Me to the Moon captures everything that’s loveable and exciting about the moon landing story while leaving aside everything that’s unnecessary and boring. The film offers a unique perspective on the famous tale and introduces a cast of lovable, complex characters. As a result, the film easily surpasses other big-budget films coming out in 2024 thanks to its masterful storytelling and stunning lead performances from Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum.
The film is engaging and heartfelt from the get-go. Not only does it live up to its title by depicting the incredible process of space exploration, but it also depicts its world and characters with care and attention to detail. The historical accuracy and fun interplay between the leads immerse the audience in the heart of the 60s and there’s little to be desired.
As great as the lead actors are, the supporting cast provides plenty of outstanding examples of dramatic acting that may overshadow the Hollywood A-listers at the center of the film. If you’re familiar with the hit NBC show Community, I don’t need to tell you what a great actor Jim Rash is. He was hands down the best actor in the film. His comedic timing and appealing personality are on full display in his performance as an aging commercial director. Woody Harrelson’s role as the government agent is also a memorable twist on a classic archetype.
The only problem I had with this movie was that it was too fashion-forward. But don’t think I didn’t like the costumes in this movie; I actually thought they were amazing. Johansson dazzles with countless stylish outfits that not only speak to the era, but also accentuate her already pretty beauty. She wore as many as 15 different outfits, each more stunning than the last, always accessorized with preppy heels, voluminous hairstyles, and some seriously beautiful accessories.
She was well-dressed from start to finish, so why on earth did Tatum wear just that one silly yellow shirt in almost every scene? If you’ve seen the movie, you know the counterargument. Here’s my counterargument: No, the fact that he wore a blue version of the same shirt once did nothing to quell my anxiety about his outfit (if you can call it that). It was a character choice if you insist, but I would have liked to see Tatum in at least one button-down shirt given his senior position at NASA.
Costume issues aside, I wasn’t expecting to like this movie as much as I did. I thought it was just another Hollywood cash grab attempt, shoehorning two big stars into a crappy script written in part by ChatGPT. Thankfully, that’s not the case. Unique and entertaining, “Fly Me to the Moon” is a fun-filled, slightly tongue-in-cheek retelling of a key moment in American history that I much prefer to the version you find in the history books.
Gabi Merhen is a senior majoring in communications at Oklahoma University of Science and Arts.
Ray Thomas Lapham
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