How do you rewrite history? I don’t have the answer, but apparently Damien Chazelle does. If you know of La La Land (2016), you know of Damien Chazelle, the writer/director. Much like La La Land, every element of First Man (2018) plays in harmony with the others, but don’t go into First Man expecting vibrant colors and musical numbers.
First Man tells Neil Armstrong’s (played by Ryan Gosling) story of being… well, the first man on the moon. This is not a familiar or cheesy biopic/documentary/retelling of the historic American event, but a somber account of the emotional journey Neil Armstrong went through. As shown in the film, the events leading up to the infamous moment were shrouded in controversy and full of emotion. The film is not about being triumphant and defeating the Russians in the Space Race; it transcends that reading of the historic event. This aspect of the film in itself garnered some controversy before the film was even released when people got word that the planting of the American flag on the moon’s surface was not going to be recreated or included in the film. After watching the film, I believe that scene would have been tremendously out of place in the context of the message the film wants to deliver. For those wondering: yes, the image of the American flag on the moon’s surface is included in the film but is not given any spectacular attention. I don’t believe this film is about being a proud American nor is it about being anti-American by any means. If those of the belief that the story being told loses credibility by not including the aforementioned moment in the film, then they should revisit the original footage from 1969 and not go see this film. If those upset are looking for a one-to-one retelling of the moon landing and not an original message creatively told through true events, then they are looking for a documentary and are not reading this film as it should be read, as a film.
The serious atmosphere of the film plays nicely into Neil Armstrong’s emotional state from the very beginning. Ryan Gosling’s performance is reminiscent of two other films he acted in — Drive (2011) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017) — where for the extent of the film, his facial expressions showcase the character’s deep emotional state. The cinematography of the film is unique for director Damien Chazelle. In his first two films, Whiplash (2014) and La La Land, dynamic color plays a huge role in communicating the thoughts of characters and the message of the film. Color plays an important part in First Man as well, but it comes in the form of bleakness (grays and light, light blues). Chazelle does a fantastic job at creating suspense and making the audience feel claustrophobic up until the inevitable arrival on the moon, when the camera finally feels like it’s at peace. I’m unsure how to feel about a couple of the methods Chazelle employed as of now, such as a documentary style “zoom” of the camera at a couple of points and the intentional use of a lack of focus, giving the film a “fuzzy” look. I’m more “sold” on the general lack of focus numerous times throughout the film more so than the zooms, though.
Take what I say with a grain of salt considering that Damien Chazelle’s only two other films are what I consider to be my two favorite films as of right now. While First Man did not blow me away like Chazelle’s other two films did, his unique tactics and mesmerizing retelling of a legendary story captivated me for (most of) the length of the film. The latter half of the film is significantly more engaging and thought-provoking than the beginning, but the set up that the beginning provides is, of course, important. If documentaries/biopics aren’t your thing, don’t let that deter you from taking a trip to the theater for this film.
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