I pity anyone that stumbles onto Adam Sandler's latest, SPACEMAN, thinking it's "Billy Madison" in orbit. Sandler is in full & fine dramatic mode in this intriguing, strange mood piece with some very odd twists.
Sandler is Czech astronaut Jakub Prochazka, halfway through his year-long mission to investigate a very strange Milky Way-like anomaly that's appeared in our skies.
As he nears the massive cloud, his mind appears to be slipping. He hasn't had any communication with his wife Lenka (the always brilliant Carey Mulligan from "Maestro"). Mission Control has blocked her latest communication to Jakub to protect him from reality.
Minor malfunctions on the ship begin to nag at him.
Upon investigating them during another sleepless night, he encounters something else on his craft. A giant spider three feet across, with countless eyes and an almost human mouth greets him in English.
While it may sound funny. It isn't played for laughs, just as a matter of fact occurrence. Genuinely creepy and downright horrifying for anyone not fond of spiders, the creature speaks with the voice of Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) and explains that, like Jakub, he is also an explorer of the galaxy they both share.
If you've seen "Uncut Gems", you know Sandler can act. He's extremely good here, wrestling with his assumption that he is losing his mind in isolation. But if you were floating through space alone and had Paul Dano's voice calmly offering to help you with your isolation and problems, damned if you wouldn't start wanting that big ass spider to be real too.
Director Johan Renck (Chernobyl, The Walking Dead) is unflinching in the story. The settings are so real, the human emotions so palpable, that he creates an atmosphere where our eight legged confidant named Hanus gains acceptance.
But not at first!
I won't reveal any more story, as the relationship between Jakub and Hanus is the core of the tale, along with the relationship between Jakub and Lenka.
Most of what we see of the married couple is in flashbacks. Are they accurate? Are they memories infused with opinions?
Isabella Rosselinni (Blue Velvet, Death Becomes Her) stars as the head of the Czech Space program and Leno Olin (Chocolat, Havana) plays Lenka's mother.
Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) plays Peter from Mission Control, Jakub's most constant support during his mission.
As the first Czech astronaut, the weight of his country's pride rides on Jakub's shoulders. A hero with a family history that begs for atonement, those shoulders are heavy. When he loses contact with his wife, Jakub needs companionship.
Is the giant, intelligent spider real? I know the conversations are real to Jakub, giving him time to reflect on legacy, love and death.
With a $40 million budget and almost three years of post production tweaks and reworking, it's not a perfect film. It's slow but never less than intriguing.
The cast is phenomenal, packed with some of our most highly regarded actors.
It won't be for everyone and anyone looking for laughs or happiness should not blast off on this ride. It's often more intriguing watching flawed people scramble for redemption. I've just never seen them do so weightless, with a giant spider eating hazelnut spread during life lessons.
Kudos for creativity.
Special effects are first rate and the final 25 minutes conjures up some serious "2001" vibes...with some serious "Silent Runnings" undercurrents....
SPACEMAN floats a B- for me, mostly for a cast that's out of this world in any universe.
