First Man

Name: First Man
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Released: October 12, 2018
Duration: 141 min
Rating: 84
Cast: Aurelien Gaya, Brian d'Arcy James, Christopher Abbott, Ciarán Hinds, Claire Foy

2018

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 56 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 625 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	Your Score
7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 625 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: October 12, 2018 | PG-13

Starring: Aurelien Gaya, Brian d'Arcy James, Christopher Abbott, Ciarán Hinds, Claire Foy, Corey Stoll, Cory Michael Smith, Ethan Embry, Jason Clarke, Jon Bernthal, Kyle Chandler, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Pablo Schreiber, Patrick Fugit, Perla Middleton, Philip Boyd, Ryan Gosling, Shea Whigham

Summary: First Man is the riveting story of NASA's mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the years 1961-1969. A visceral, first-person account, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the movie will explore the sacrifices and the cost-on Armstrong and on the nation-of one of the most dangerous missions in history.

Director: Damien Chazelle

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, History

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 141 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Soren Andersen

Oct 11, 2018

Gosling, who previously worked with Chazelle on “La La Land,” is perfectly cast. Read full review

100

Owen Gleiberman

Aug 29, 2018

After seeing First Man, it’s doubtful you’ll think about space flight, or Armstrong’s historic walk, in quite the same way. You’ll know more deeply how it happened, what it meant and what it was, and why its mystery — more than ever — still lingers. Read full review

Peter Travers

Oct 10, 2018

Concentrate on the abundant factors that make First Man unmissable and unforgettable. There have been astronaut movies before, good (Apollo 13) and better (The Right Stuff). But few have been as much a triumph of the imagination fueled, not by FX but by indelible feeling, as this one. Read full review

The Playlist Jessica Kiang

Aug 29, 2018

Steering an astonishingly accomplished path between the small steps and the giant leaps of the Apollo 11 mission, reigning Best Director Damien Chazelle opens the 75th Venice Film Festival with First Man, an immersive, immaculately crafted, often spectacular and satisfyingly old-fashioned epic that may well become the definitive moon-landing movie. Read full review

James Mottram

Sep 10, 2018

Chazelle broadens his horizons with this superbly detailed account of the Moon landing. Gosling and especially Foy are out of this world. Read full review

Josh Larsen

Oct 10, 2018

Gosling excels at an open sort of stoicism, a way of keeping us at a distance on the surface while also giving us a peek inside. And so he’s a good fit for this take on Armstrong. Read full review

E. Oliver Whitney

Sep 11, 2018

More than a third of its runtime is frustratingly lifeless, mimicking the repressed, impassive psyche of Ryan Gosling’s astronaut, and when Chazelle finally takes us to that big rock in the sky, the sequences may be gorgeous to look at, but the film fails to capture how awe-inspiring something as epic as a trip to the moon must have been. Read full review

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User Reviews

BrianMcCritic

Oct 12, 2018

From its performances to its technical achievements, First Man is a masterpiece. Damien Chazelle is putting himself in the conversation for one of the best young film makers of our time. Every shot is perfect with specific lighting choices that added to the impact of certain scenes. It's notFrom its performances to its technical achievements, First Man is a masterpiece. Damien Chazelle is putting himself in the conversation for one of the best young film makers of our time. Every shot is perfect with specific lighting choices that added to the impact of certain scenes. It's not easy to get me emotionally invested within the first 20 minutes but the way Gosling portrays Neil Armstrong really got me early and often and Claire Foy is just as good if not better. I can't sing this films praises high enough it's a must see. Overall a 10 an A+(currently my favorite film of 2018).… Expand

12 of 26 users found this helpful1214

alejandro970

Nov 18, 2018

Narrated with the epoc charactheristics, follows in compelling way how was the daring space travel that could hardly be. Gosling is remarkable as Armstrong; the sequences are realistic, makes the idea you are in the spaceship. A shall to see.

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

LamontRaymond

Oct 12, 2018

I would give First Man a 9 out of 10 (an outstanding film, better than most of the other films released in 2018), only if we can agree that The Right Stuff should be about 15. It's beautifully shot and an extremely intense first-person account. Claire Foy is incredible. It simply lackedI would give First Man a 9 out of 10 (an outstanding film, better than most of the other films released in 2018), only if we can agree that The Right Stuff should be about 15. It's beautifully shot and an extremely intense first-person account. Claire Foy is incredible. It simply lacked much of the excitement that films like The Right Stuff had locked down.… Expand

5 of 12 users found this helpful57

zrhumphrey

Jan 15, 2019

Great direction and some enthralling space scenes are the best parts of this surprisingly distant and hollow film.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

SeussMyTub

Oct 21, 2018

The space sequences are great, but the rest of the movie is pretty much underwhelming. Delves too deeply into Armstrong's family life, yet there is little to show for it. Gosling also portrays him like a robot- the real Armstrong was just modest, not uncaring.

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

JEsFsF

Oct 13, 2018

okay. this movie has staked out it's niche. It's personally intimate. It's effective at literally getting in people's face. Inside a crowded Gemini cockpit: claustrophobic and chaotic. As majestic as the backdrop is, this film is as grounded as it gets, but not in a good way. Characterokay. this movie has staked out it's niche. It's personally intimate. It's effective at literally getting in people's face. Inside a crowded Gemini cockpit: claustrophobic and chaotic. As majestic as the backdrop is, this film is as grounded as it gets, but not in a good way. Character studies have their value, but Armstrong, while an important man, while an iconic man, a First Man, is just not interesting man.… Expand

4 of 9 users found this helpful45

WayTooBad

Mar 18, 2022

This movie ruined Ryan Gosling in my eyes, I used to enjoy the roles he played, the silent strong and dangerous guy thinking he has a dimension which is not visible but there. Now he is just boring to death in my eyes.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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46	#46 Best Movie of 2018
23	#23 Most Discussed Movie of 2018
39	#39 Most Shared Movie of 2018