Overall Thoughts: Fascinating approach, but too unfocused to really stand out.
George Clooney has become one of the rare Hollywood figures to pull a double duty here. He not only directs this big-budget, sci-fi movie, he also is in the starring role (or starring roles). I haven't seen anyone notable pull this off since Ben Stiller did the same in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in 2013. But while Clooney's efforts here to do both are strong, it is a bit of a shame that the movie surrounding him never reaches that same level.
Up until a surprise reveal at the end, Midnight Sky is pretty much two stories in one. The first involves Clooney as a dedicated scientist striving to convince the remainder of humanity to stay away from Earth, and his journey with a speechless little girl named Iris (Caoilinn Springall). The second involves a group of astronauts (led by characters played by Felicity Jones and David Oyelowo) on a voyage back to earth to see if it is safe to repopulate.
The first story of the two is definitely the most effective. Clooney's character immediately reels you in and the film's first 30 minutes are very good. We immediately empathize with his character's dilemma and regrets about his life. This is definitely a more subtle and nuanced performance from the Oscar winner, and could lead to another nomination. From inspired music and cinematography choices to the reveal of Iris and a couple of well-placed flashbacks, it all plays out in a refreshing and intriguing fashion. Springall's innocence also plays a nice role here too. There's also a couple of very colorful planets shown in this space too.
Meanwhile, the second story involving the astronauts lacks the character development needed to make it work. The only thing about this plotline that does work involves a running gag about finding the right name for Jones' baby (I heard that she was pregnant in real life after she was cast, and Clooney had the film re-written to accommodate this. This was definitely a smart move.). This leads to a somewhat off, but very entertaining moment involving the cult classic song, "Sweet Caroline". With five astronauts onboard, there's only so much writing to go around, and that leads to issues. Oyelowo, Jones and Kyle Chandler all are solid in what they are given, but their characters just aren't given enough to really write home about.
A little over half of the way in, the film completely shifts its focus to the astronauts, leaving Clooney's character behind for at least a half hour. This is so there can be a couple of dangerous situations, including a death that doesn't generate as much emotion as the filmmakers were probably aiming for. Meanwhile, the film's prior perilous situations with Clooney's character (Augustine) and Iris generate more emotional investment. I really wish the overall balance leaned more into Augustine's favor. However, it does all lead to a final 10 minutes that carries a very strong and emotionally-rewarding reveal.
On the other side of things, the film's technical marks are all impressive. The visual effects team nicely mixes post-apocalypse with space age-style touches. Production design evokes a similar jumble. Alexandre Desplat's music score is very solid too, with a careful balance between gentle, quiet themes and a few soaring, instrumental bits for more intense moments.
Ultimately, The Midnight Sky would have been better off elongating Clooney's journey a bit and lessening the other characters' time. Yes, it has a terrific start and some nice moments. And it does have a nice payoff; one that may be enough for many viewers to be willing to forgive the unbalanced story it presents. For me though, not so much unfortunately.
Grade: C
Is this movie family-friendly? The Midnight Sky is rated PG-13 for "some bloody images and brief strong language." Violence and scary images include a brief disturbing shot of a pilot surrounded by frozen blood, as well as an astronaut having many drops of blood suspending in space as a result of sustaining a serious injury. Another character looks to be on the brink of death following a crash too. After a scary situation, an astronaut drops an f-bomb. We also hear one use of "bullsh**", and a half dozen uses of more moderate language. Ultimately, while the film is cleaner than many of what Netflix usually has for adults on its' service, it's too sophisticated and slow for kids. Mature teens and up may end up appreciating it more.
Is this movie family-friendly? The Midnight Sky is rated PG-13 for "some bloody images and brief strong language." Violence and scary images include a brief disturbing shot of a pilot surrounded by frozen blood, as well as an astronaut having many drops of blood suspending in space as a result of sustaining a serious injury. Another character looks to be on the brink of death following a crash too. After a scary situation, an astronaut drops an f-bomb. We also hear one use of "bullsh**", and a half dozen uses of more moderate language. Ultimately, while the film is cleaner than many of what Netflix usually has for adults on its' service, it's too sophisticated and slow for kids. Mature teens and up may end up appreciating it more.
