The Apollo 11 mission and mankind’s first steps on another celestial body is probably the most significant event I have witnessed, thanks to live television, in my lifetime. It is not surprising that the first landing of a human crew has already spawned a cinematic genre, with quite a few productions in different formats – documentaries, feature films, television series. Sub-genres did not take long to appear. In addition to biographical films and space dramas, there have also been comedies and films that propagate or – on the contrary – satirize conspiracy theories related to the 1969 space mission. ‘Fly Me to the Moon‘, the 2024 film directed by Greg Berlanti belongs to these last two sub-genres, but it is first and foremost a romantic comedy. For Berlanti, who is best known as a producer and takes on directing duties about once a decade, this is the first big-budget film he’s directed. Depending on the expectations of each viewer, ‘Fly Me to the Moon‘ is likely to appeal to many viewers looking for a romantic comedy or summer entertainment, but also to be disliked by those expecting a movie that strictly adheres to the history of the Apollo missions.
Every romantic comedy tells a story about a boy and a girl. The boy is Cole Davis, the head of the Apollo 11 program. The character is inspired by Deke Slayton, a former pilot in the Korea war, test pilot and candidate for the first flights of the Mercury program, who was turned down at the last minute for medical reasons and became the crew chief of the Apollo astronauts. He’s super-serious, super-professional, his life is his job (at least until he meets the girl), and he’s superstitious about black cats (justifiably so, we’ll see). The girl, Kelly Jones, is a completely imaginary character. Beautiful and elegant (her wardrobe is a veritable collection of 60s fashion), she is a master of communication and advertising. A mysterious head of government services hires her to create the PR campaign in favor of the program, with the aim of countering Soviet propaganda but also – or primarily – to ensure continued funding. The American-Soviet race for the Moon cannot be lost. And if success does not happen in reality, then it must be simulated and filmed as if it happened. Conspiracy theory confirmed? Not really, let’s not forget the c… word in the expression ‘romantic comedy’.
The romantic side is especially supported by Scarlett Johansson, whose character conquers everyone who sees and hears her, less, sometimes, the one she falls in love with. The roles are created in such a way that the two represent a couple that has no chance of working. On screen, it’s pretty much the same and the main fault in my opinion is the casting of Channing Tatum in a role for which he is so suitable that at no point can we believe that he can also be in love. On the other hand, Woody Harrelson creates a character that evolves from being a cynical and sinister manipulator to one of those legendary hat-and-umbrella spy bosses in English movies. To the list of acting that I liked, I’ll add Anna Garcia, Kelly’s slightly plump and funny assistant, who warns her boss that nothing good can come out by working for Richard Nixon. Actually, a love story came out for the characters, even if not very convincing. One of the hit comedies of the summer came out for viewers, filmed under the luminous Florida sun. Without being disrespectful, ‘Fly Me to the Moon‘ is also a satire of the Apollo program and its people, conspiracy theories and films dedicated to the subject. The only people who might be upset would be Apollo program fans who would take the movie too seriously. Be warned!