After a string of well-received dramatic roles, including the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch Drunk Love, Adam Sandler plunges into space for a new sci-fi drama that takes a deep look at the pain of loneliness. The film “Spaceman,” supported by Netflix, had its premiere on Tuesday at the Berlin Film Festival. In this movie, Adam Sandler takes on the role of Jakub, a Czech astronaut embarking on a year-long solitary expedition to a vibrant interstellar cloud. Throughout the journey, Jakub finds himself reevaluating various aspects of his life, including his marriage and his career as an astronomer. But the trip’s lone companion is a six-eyed, slug-like creature that may hold the key to his salvation.
The movie’s premise certainly sounds intriguing, and it is an excellent sign to see Sandler working with an original script that doesn’t fall into his usual formulaic trappings. However, it also feels like a significant step down from the energy and momentum that Sandler brought to the screen in previous projects for Netflix. This is mainly because, for much of the picture’s running time, Jakub’s interactions with Hanus feel more akin to ASMR than to a meaningful, thought-provoking conversation. The film’s droning tones, the thrum of space, and Jakon Ihrer’s cinematography often verge on a meditative state that induces sleep rather than engagement.
That being said, Spaceman eventually finds its footing in the third act. As the mission heads toward its final destination — a place Hanus refers to as “the beginning” — the movie reveals itself to be a profoundly melancholy experience. This is primarily because the film focuses on the alien above’s therapist-cum-guru role and its effect on Jakub’s mental health. Plus, the performances from Sandler and Dano are strong and moving.
In addition to Sandler and Mulligan, Spaceman boasts a solid supporting cast of Kunal Nayyar, Lena Olin, Isabella Rossellini, and John Cullum. The film was directed by Johan Renck, who has previously worked on Chornobyl and the Oscar-nominated biopic The Founder. The screenplay was written by Colby Day. It’s also worth noting that this is the first time Sandler has signed on to a sci-fi film that isn’t a comedy. For this reason, it’s a welcome change of pace to see the actor taking on this severe material. Hopefully, it’s just the start of a more thoughtful phase for the former child star. The movie is set to hit Netflix on March 1.
