Summary

Spaceman is an arthouse sci-fi with Adam Sandler. It doesn’t live up to its source material, but is visually captivating.
Adam Sandler excels in this dramatic role, showing depth and range as an actor.
Spaceman’s appeal mostly relies on Sandler, lacking a cohesive narrative but showcasing technical brilliance.

In 2020, while promoting Uncut Gems, Adam Sandler jokingly said in an interview with Howard Stern that if he were snubbed for a Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards, he would come back and do more Netflix movies that were purposefully bad, suggesting that his prior projects on the streaming platform weren’t intentionally done so. Four years and nine Netflix feature films later, Sandler returns with Spaceman, a project that evokes a different sentiment; maybe this is one of the good ones.

Spaceman is a sci-fi drama starring Adam Sandler and directed by Chernobyl director Johan Renck. The film, based on the book Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfař, follows Jakub Procházka who goes on a solo mission to space and encounters a mysterious creature as he begins to lose touch with reality.ProsAdam Sandler is the glue that holds the movie togetherSpaceman has great visuals and technical achievements ConsSpaceman leaves out a lot of what the book engagingThe adaptation’s narrative is less than enthralling

Arthouse Meets Sci-Fi In An Uneven Interpretation Of A Well-Received Novel

Spaceman is based on the 2017 novel by Jaroslav Kalfař. It follows a Czech cosmonaut tasked with a mission no one else is willing to go on, his declining marriage to his Earthbound wife, and his friendship with a giant spider named Hanuš. The novel was praised for its levity, poignant metaphors, and unserious approach to science fiction. The movie adaptation, directed by Chernobyl’s Johan Renck from a screenplay by Colby Day, doesn’t carry any of that over.

The most glaring issue with Spaceman is that the leap from page to screen leaves quite a bit of the story behind and saddles its lead actor with much of the heavy lifting. Renck’s film has the look and feel of a deep, arthouse sci-fi that dives into human emotion and themes versus being a technological spectacle, but it leaves much to be desired as it meanders. The film looks great, but there is so much Sandler is left to convey that the script and directing do not help with.

Adam Sandler Once Again Proves His Skills As A Dramatic Actor

Like many comics before and after him, Sandler has had to prove his skills outside of comedy. Time and time again, audiences and critics alike walk away from these few dramatic shifts with a mixture of awe and shock. Uncut Gems was a peak moment for Sandler, as his performance and the film generated intense awards hype, something not experienced since Punch Drunk Love.

The most glaring issue with
Spaceman
is that the leap from page to screen leaves quite a bit of the story behind and saddles its lead actor with much of the heavy lifting.

Spaceman is the closest Sandler gets to those heights. The actor is considerably subdued here, offering a quiet, reflective performance that starkly contrasts his bravado and chaotic energy in Uncut Gems. His chemistry with Carey Mulligan, who plays his wife, is questionable, but Mulligan makes up for it with her professionalism. Sandler has more chemistry with Paul Dano, who voices the massive spider that is more well-suited to a horror film.

It is no secret that Sandler is very adept at comedy, and while Spaceman is not meant to be a laugh-out-loud romp, there is a subtle comedic undertone bolstered by the absurdity that Sandler effectively plays into. There is just a lot for him to tackle, and so much of his performance feels unsupported. The narrative ideas and themes are obvious, but there is a lack of consistency and true depth.

Without Adam Sandler, There’s Little Left Of Spaceman To Enjoy

Spaceman’s only draw is Sandler, although an impressive number of supporting actors aid him. The movie remains adrift for too long, though, showcasing its technical achievement but neglecting to solidify what the film is about: Jakub’s despair, loneliness, and existential crisis. In the face of great human achievement and the magnitude of the universe, the story is simply about a man going through it.

The movie’s technical aspects are perfectly fine, visually captivating as they successfully capture the outrageous nature of Jakub’s mission and the extreme emotional and mental turmoil such an existence can have on someone. However, the script never ties the threads together to allow us to follow Jakub’s journey. The audience is almost cast aside without a tether as Sandler fulfills his obligation of giving such a somber and astute performance.

Spaceman Has Its Flaws, But It May Find An Audience

Having Spaceman premiere at the Berlin Film Festival was an attempt to sell the film as prestige cinema, and while it has the look and feel of a thoughtful, arthouse sci-fi, it just doesn’t nail the execution. As Jakub gets emotional and mental support from a giant spider (Dano’s voice can soothe just about any soul), the movie never rises to the level of being interesting.

The movie remains adrift for too long, though, showcasing its technical achievement but neglecting to solidify what the film is about: Jakub’s despair, loneliness, and existential crisis.

The special effects are certainly eye-catching, and Sandler’s commitment to playing opposite a nightmare creature is admirable, but Spaceman is devoid of enthralling narrative choices. This is best exemplified by Netflix dropping the original title of the novel for something so insignificant as Spaceman: Spaceman of Bohemia is catchy! “The book was better” is probably going to be a common saying when discussing this movie, though it may still find an audience, so long as expectations are lowered.

Spaceman

opened in select theaters on February 23 and will begin streaming on Netflix Friday, March 1.

Spaceman Director Johan Renck Release Date March 1, 2024 Studio(s) Free Association , Tango Entertainment Distributor(s) Netflix Writers Colby Day Runtime 107 Minutes