Aight, so… Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Neil Armstrong makes me want to find every single piece of footage of Armstrong that exists to see if he captured his general demeanor and mannerisms. Was he as stoic, reserved, mission-driven as he was portrayed? Not sure. Also, was Buzz Aldrin a bit of an asshole back then? Any enthusiasts with insight? I’ll just read the book.

Damien Chazelle has yet to take an ‘L’ in my book. I haven’t seen his directorial debut “Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench,” but the three latest (“Whiplash,” “LaLaLand,” and “First Man”) are all outstanding pieces of art from top to bottom. I look forward to his next work.

👑 Claire Foy 👑 gave a fully-realized, almost unsettling performance as Janet Armstrong.  There were moments in her portrayal that felt voyeuristic. The anxiety was felt, and it hurt.  She’s a star. Just to note: I’m not sure how she’s billed on this film.  The line on what constitutes a “Best Supporting” versus “Best Actress” performance has been a bit blurry since Viola swept awards season for her“…Supporting” role in “Fences” in 2017, but at any rate, Queen Foy is coming for her gold doubloons, and I’m ready for it.

All in all, I recommend, but this is definitely a film that would probably be best enjoyed in a surround-sound, dark environment. The score is worth it. Shouts to Justin Hurwitz, Chazelle’s frequent music collaborator, for incorporating the theremin in the score–beautiful + simplistic touches really warm my heart.

I can tell Chazelle wanted this to be a fully-immersive experience.  Visual effects and sound mixing far outweigh the acting performances and screenplay, which were both pretty solid, but there are down moments…the falling action and conclusion felt a bit empty.