First Man (2018)
80%RT Audience Score: 67%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
32 wins & 196 nominations total
First Man uses a personal focus to fuel a look back at a pivotal moment in human history – and takes audiences on a soaring dramatic journey along the way
First Man is out of this world! Damien Chazelle takes us on a visually stunning journey through the life of Neil Armstrong, with Ryan Gosling delivering a stellar performance. The film not only celebrates human achievement but also explores the complexities of masculinity and personal motivations. And let’s not forget the immersive sound design and cinematography that make you feel like you’re blasting off into space. It’s a must-see for any space enthusiast or movie lover. Don’t miss out on this one, folks!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for some thematic content involving peril, and brief strong language
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital IMAX 6-Track Dolby Surround 7.1 Sonics-DDP
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 21m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 12, 2018 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 8, 2019
Genre(s)
Biography/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Patrick Fugit, directed by Damien Chazelle, written by Josh Singer, biography, adventure, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Ben Sachs, Udita Jhunjhunwala, tt stern-enzi, Ryan Gilbey, Michael Sragow, Roxana Hadadi, Frederick Blichert, Taylor Baker, Kip Mooney, Milana Vujkov, PG-13, peril, brief strong language, some thematic content, produced by Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Isaac Klausner, Damien Chazelle, Neil Armstrong, Janet Armstrong, Ed White, Deke Slayton, Buzz Aldrin, Elliot See, NASA, space program, Apollo 11, historic, 1960s, test flights, moon landing, human history, personal focus, soaring dramatic journey, technical mastery, true-life story, masculinity, human achievement, Cold War politics, slippery metaphors, archaic technologies, silence, introspective direction, moving audio, astronomical sequences, intimate performance, indie film, mainstream audience, shaky cam, biopic, NASA, Space Race, landing on the moon, astronauts, insight
Worldwide gross: $105,713,218
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $124,400,541
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 917
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 13,566,035
US/Canada gross: $44,936,545
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $52,880,147
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,046
US/Canada opening weekend: $16,006,065
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $18,835,517
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 689
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $59,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $69,429,652
Production budget ranking: 603
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $37,387,867
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $17,583,022
ROI to date (est.): 16%
ROI ranking: 1,311
Claire Foy – Janet Armstrong
Jason Clarke – Ed White
Kyle Chandler – Deke Slayton
Corey Stoll – Buzz Aldrin
Patrick Fugit – Elliot See
Josh Singer – Writer
Damien Chazelle – Director
Wyck Godfrey – Producer
Marty Bowen – Producer
Isaac Klausner – Producer
Director(s)
Damien Chazelle
Writer(s)
Josh Singer
Producer(s)
Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Isaac Klausner, Damien Chazelle
Film Festivals
Venice, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
32 wins & 196 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Visual Effects Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (458) | Top Critics (92) | Fresh (399) | Rotten (59)
Damien Chazelle is an enthusiastic, visually expressive filmmaker with practically nothing of interest to say about the human experience.
March 3, 2020
Ben Sachs
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
First Man doesn’t just dwell on its subject’s achievements. It takes a beat to glance into Armstrong’s personal motivations and vulnerabilities while using technical mastery to tell an engrossing true-life story.
July 29, 2019
Udita Jhunjhunwala
Livemint
TOP CRITIC
A fascinating film, it’s difficult to watch at times because there’s so much loss and so much risk that we never really thought about that lead us getting there.
March 21, 2019
tt stern-enzi
WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)
TOP CRITIC
In those sequences when Armstrong is heading for the stars, the approach is so immersive on a sensory level — cacophonous sound design, juddering cinematography verging on the abstract — that it almost compensates for the void at the film’s core.
January 26, 2019
Ryan Gilbey
New Statesman
TOP CRITIC
Chazelle and Singer have created a grueling, prosaic, state-of-the-art docudrama (no imagination allowed) with the heart of a male weepie.
October 30, 2018
Michael Sragow
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
First Man is precise, patriotic, immersive, gorgeous, and flawed. Can people stop complaining about the flag now?
October 26, 2018
Roxana Hadadi
Pajiba
TOP CRITIC
Both pays tribute to and realizes the necessity of people who can internalize their rather profound feelings for a cause greater than themselves.
March 11, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
First Man is a thoughtful, lyrical exploration of masculinity as well as a celebration of human achievement.
February 13, 2022
Frederick Blichert
Vice
Chazelle tosses narrative norms to the side and brings you into an emotional ride loosely tied together by it’s handful of main characters and main goal.
August 19, 2021 | Rating: 96/100
Taylor Baker
Drink in the Movies
Gosling and Chazelle have delivered one of the year’s best films.
August 10, 2021 | Rating: A-
Kip Mooney
Central Track
Elegantly cutting through Cold War politics, slippery metaphors on masculinity, the now archaic technologies (…) this is a story that finds its heart in a silence.
July 30, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Milana Vujkov
Lola On Film
It turns out a great space movie does not have to involve intergalactic war…we all underrated First Man, folks…
July 28, 2021
Nathan Mattise
Ars Technica…
Plot
A Biopic on the life of the legendary American Astronaut Neil Armstrong from 1961-1969, on his journey to becoming the first human to walk the moon. Exploring the sacrifices and costs on the Nation and Neil himself, during one of the most dangerous missions in the history of space travel.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about First Man.
Damien-Chazelle.jpg
