At this point in cinematic history, there are almost as many movies about space as there are stars in our galaxy. From “The Martian” to “Interstellar” to “Galaxy Quest” and beyond, space has always held audiences’ rapt attention as a centerpiece for sci-fi storytelling. However, “Fly Me to the Moon” deviates from the standard space movie protocol as it takes place almost entirely on Earth. It is more of a grounded romance than it is a tale of hard science and space exploration.
On first contact with the premise, “Fly Me to the Moon” seemed like one of those fake movies that your avatar from the phone game “Stardom” would partake in early in their career. It smacked of corny, overly-produced nonsense with an openly ridiculous plot. Never in my years of movie-going have my expectations been turned so drastically onto their heads.
An out-of-this-world love story that playfully toes the line between drama and comedy, “Fly Me to the Moon” captures everything lovable and exciting about the story of the moon landing while throwing to the wayside all things needless and boring. The film offers a unique perspective on its well-known story along with a barrage of likably complex characters. In turn, the motion picture sky-rockets itself past other high-budget releases of 2024 through its clever storytelling and its exquisite lead performances by Scarlett Johanson and Channing Tatum.
From the onset, the movie is charming and heartfelt. It portrays not only the wondrous process of the titular space expedition but also shapes its world and characters with considerate care and attention to detail. The historical accuracy and fun banter between the leads placed the audience smack dab into the center of the sixties with nary a subpar element to speak of.
As excellent as the lead performances were, the supporting cast offered many standout examples of dramatic superbity that may just overshadow the Hollywood heartthrobs at the center of the film. For those familiar with the hit NBC show “Community,” I don’t need to explain just how wonderful of an actor Jim Rash is. He was, unequivocally, the best part of the film. His comic timing and dazzling personality shine through in his portrayal of an over-the-hill commercial director. Woody Harrelson’s government agent character was also a memorable spin on a classic archetype.
My only problem with this film is fashion-forward. Don’t take this as an insinuation that I didn’t care for the costuming in the movie. On the contrary: I found it quite exceptional. Johanson stuns in a myriad of stylish outfits that speak to the era as well as accentuate her already considerable beauty. She wore no fewer than fifteen different ensembles, each of which was more stunning than the last, always equipped with a preppy high heel, a voluminous hairstyle, and some truly beautiful accessories.
She was dressed to the nines from start to finish, so, why, oh, why, did Tatum wear that one stupid yellow shirt in almost every single scene? For those of you who have seen the film, I know what you’re going to say in rebuttal. My rebuttal to this rebuttal is as follows: No, the fact that he, at one point, donned a blue version of the same shirt did nothing to quell my unease at the sight of his wardrobe (if you can even call it that). Call it a character choice if you must, but I would’ve liked to see Tatum in at least one button-down shirt given his high-ranking position at NASA.
All wardrobing incidents aside, I didn’t expect to like this movie as much as I did. I thought it was going to be just another attempt at a Hollywood cash grab achieved by shoving two big-billed stars into a dumb script that was more than partially generated by ChatGPT. It was, thankfully, nothing of the sort. As enjoyable as it was unique, “Fly Me to the Moon” is a fun-filled, somewhat snarky retelling of a pivotal moment in American history, and I much prefer it to the version in the history books.
Gabi Merchen is a fourth-year communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
