Among the sentences I could never imagine uttering, “an existentialist, science fiction, mood-piece starring Adam Sandler” would rank near the top. In director Johan Renck’s “Spaceman”, Sandler is quite enthralling in an impressive performance of depth and maturity surrounded by a challenging and emotional film. 

Adam Sandler is Czech astronaut Jakub Prochazka, currently six months into a year-long solo mission to investigate a mysterious cloud near Jupiter. Isolated inside his spacecraft, his only connection to humanity is the radio contact with mission control (specifically his contact “Peter” played by Kunal Nyyar) and videos of his pregnant wife “Lenka” (Carey Mulligan). As the film introduces Jakub, the damning psychological effects of outer space isolation have infected his mind and body. Paranoia begins, as it has been sometime since Lenka has answered his calls. 

Back on Earth (millions of miles from Jakub finding out) she has decided to leave him, taking off to the country house of her mother (Lena Olin) to figure things out, before going to a resort for single pregnant women. Isabella Rossellini co stars as Jakub’s commanding officer who will not allow Lenka’s goodbye message to be broadcast, in the hopes of keeping Jakub sane enough to complete the mission and beat the South Koreans to the punch. 

As he becomes plagued by nightmares of a creature moving inside his face and body, Jakub begins hearing a soft, monotone voice aboard the ship. One night, a human sized telepathic spider/alien (voiced by the great Paul Dano) appears to Jakub, who names him Hanuš. The creature means him no harm and becomes another dimension of Jakub’s consciousness and an outlet to explore Jakub’s real world human problems. Becoming an otherworldly therapist for the lone astronaut, the two find a connection, each learning from one another; their conversations leading to the deeper philosophical meanings in Jakub’s life decisions and of life itself. 

There is beauty to the relationship that develops between the two beings and their kinship births an emotional pull that is deeply moving. Although he is voiceover only, Dano finds a substantial chemistry with Sandler, his line delivery giving dimension to the character. A frightening image at first (for both Jakub and the audience), Hanuš reveals himself to be a wise and gentle soul. Dano’s great work gives the character mystery and gravitas, existing as a soothing voice to help Jakub see beyond his mind and heart.

While Carey Mulligan is as alluring as ever (her role is played out in almost dreamlike fashion), Adam Sandler’s gentle and compassionate work is truly a breakthrough for the actor. I have never felt Sandler deserved the praise for his dramatic work thus far. For “Spaceman”, Sandler wears the weight of  emotional longing and regret on his face, his eyes projecting his character’s pain. The actor’s work here is quite strong. It is a very good performance.

Renck immediately creates an entrancing and hallucinatory atmosphere. As he leads his audience into the story with the gentle hands of an ethereal guide, the director’s vision finds tonal symmetry with cinematographer Jakob Ihre’s camera and production designer Jan Houllevigue’s trippy visual tones. The camera is in constant motion, as it floats with Jakub through zero gravity and the tight quarters of the ship and dark hued lighting skillfully capture the themes of loneliness and isolation. As Ihre says, “It was important to make life in space feel authentic. The film puts enormous focus on the human condition, on the feelings of Jakub. You need to feel the hard-ships of being in the spaceship and the mental and physical pain of being in space.”

Max Richter’s darkly dreamy score is an ambient character of its own and compliments the visual texture of the piece. Says Richter, ““The score’s palette is kind of 1970s-period electronics that have been treated with ’70s effects recorded on tape as they would have been recorded back then,” Combining trance-like synthesizers and melancholy orchestrations, the composer takes the viewer on their own celestial journey of emotion. The score illuminates the visual texture and heightens the already palpable sentiment. This is masterful work from Richter that ranks amongst his best, as he guides us through Jakub’s journey with entrancing compositions infused with the spirit of Wendy Carlos and Japanese electronic “space music” pioneer, Isao Tomita. 

Adapted from the novel “Spaceman of Bohemia” by Jaroslav Kalfar, Colby Day’s screenplay gracefully examines isolation, the place of the human heart among the vastness of the universe, and the desire for a love that may be unattainable. Day’s work is literate and profound; a welcome reprise from the current dumbing down of modern cinema. This is a film that finds rhythm in the life lessons our reflective memories teach us and in the unbreakable bonds of the soul. 

The Plimsouls once sang, “I started driftin’ to a different place, I realized I was fallin’ off the face of your world… I was a million miles away.” When two souls are connected, neither space nor time will break them apart, but perhaps the isolation can make one realize the cracks in a once perfect memory. Breathing that very philosophy, “Spaceman” is a meditative and surprisingly poignant motion picture. 

As Hanuš tells Jakub, “Everything’s permanent and nothing ever is. That is the truth of the universe.” The profundity of that line is the soul of Johan Renck’s marvelous film.

Spaceman

Written by Colby Day (Adapted from the novel “Spaceman of Bohemia” by Jaroslav Kalfar)

Directed by Johan Renck

Starring Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Kunal Nyyar, Paul Dano, Lena Olin, Isabella Rossellini

R 107 Minutes, Netflix/Free Association