Wick's Review

Summary - Good 3.0

Unlike its vintage stars, this genial comedy hasn’t aged particularly well. Still its an enjoyable lark of a movie, especially with a quartet of hugely charismatic actors commanding the screen.

The movie plays off two events that were fresh in the public mind when it came out in 2000: Apollo 13, a tremendously successful 1995 release, and John Glenn’s elderly trip on the space shuttle in 1998. So a movie about aging astronauts blasting off on a repair mission was a natural, especially with four great stars like Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland and James Garner on board. But memories are short and the story is now far from being of-the-moment.

Acting - Very Good 3.5

Clint, Tommy Lee, Sutherland and Garner have each carried more than their share of movies and shows – dramas and comedies alike. So it’s a treat to see them as a laconic quartet, playing off each other in satisfyingly relaxed fashion.

The well stocked supporting cast contains enjoyable stalwarts James Cromwell, Blair Brown and William Devane.

Film - Good 3.0

Here’s how solid a director Clint is: He tosses off a successful, lighthearted picture like this, poking fun at Senator Right Stuff himself along the way, and doesn’t even breath hard when it comes to the zero G shots in the shuttle and space walk scenes. Rock solid.

Edge - Tame 1.2

Reality - Glib 1.5

Could four geezers stand a shuttle mission where they had to perform major duties? Would NASA allow it? Don’t think so.

1 Comment

• Wick Jan 1, 2013 2:57PM

  Regarding BrianSez’s Review
  “Clint Eastwood seemed to be just starting to perfect his crotchety persona with this film. As we know from his later films, he’s gotten quite good at it.” Perfect observation.

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