Lucy in the Sky, 2019.
Directed by Noah Hawley.
Starring Natalie Portman, Jon Hamm, Zazie Beetz, Dan Stevens, Ellen Burstyn, Colman Domingo, Jeremiah Birkett, Tig Notaro, Joseph Williamson, Nick Offerman, and Pearl Amanda Dickson.
SYNOPSIS:
Astronaut Lucy Cola returns to Earth after a transcendent experience during a mission to space, and begins to lose touch with reality in a world that now seems too small.
I’m not saying director Noah Hawley should exclusively stick to television (he is the creator of the popular series Fargo and Legion), simply that Lucy in the Sky should have been one of those projects. At just over two hours, the film (loosely based on the experiences of astronaut Lisa Nowak, scripted by Brian C. Brown and Elliott DiGuiseppi, with Hawley himself doing some revisions that don’t seem to have fixed much), there are simply too many characters and concurrent subplots that not only never find their rhythm, but serve as a detriment to what is supposed to be a character study of Lucy Cola (everyone here is renamed).
Returning from Earth (following a visually impressive sequence set in space that adequately expresses just how small and possibly insignificant our home planet is), Lucy quickly becomes increasingly dissatisfied with life. And I stress the “quickly” part considering the narrative here moves as fast and erratic as Lucy’s mental state. She also undergoes psychological and physical analysis, surprising field experts that she is back on her feet walking already, as the gist is that space exploration takes its toll on the body. How well researched any of this is eludes me, but it makes for brief fascinating dialogue and often under-examined aspects of astronaut lifestyles. There’s even a tense sequence where Lucy is seemingly unfazed during an underwater exercise where her helmet breaks allowing water to flood in; she remains composed and finishes the task upside down.
Lucy in the Sky is also somewhat a soap opera centered on the daily lives of astronauts. Happily married to Drew (a permanently smiling Dan Stevens), we also bear witness to numerous scenes of Lucy’s mother Holbrook (Ellen Burstyn, existing as caricatures half-and-half unabashedly southern and typical unfiltered elderly woman, chosen as the comedic relief for the proceedings) showcasing the hard work ethic she has instilled into her daughter alongside a rough childhood. Also now living in the household is niece Blue Iris (Pearl Amanda Dickson), also coming from a tragic upbringing hoping for a more stable and fulfilling life under the guardianship of the Colas. Sadly, she is one of the most criminally wasted characters, unbelievably along for the ride when Lucy is at her most unstable where any realistic teenager would be phoning the police, alternate family, friends, Child Protective Services, literally anyone. If the true story did go down that way, well, then I truly have no words to rationalize the things people do here.
Nevertheless, the phenomenon of extended space travel has had a negative effect on Lucy’s mind, even if she does reassure herself that “she’s fine” on a scene-to-scene basis with excellent nervous and shaky conviction from Natalie Portman. Enter fellow astronaut and ladies man Mark (Jon Hamm), who doesn’t have to do much to convince Lucy to go on a bowling date and eventually start an affair. This is also where one of the most troubling and confusing elements of the film arises; if Lucy succumbing to Mark’s charms so easily is meant to be yet another side effect of her life-changing journey to space, the script doesn’t do a good job at expressing that. Additionally, the narrative isn’t strong at explaining anything Lucy does beyond the all too simple reasoning of ‘sad things happening after coming back home made her go crazy’.
Lucy in the Sky assuredly has its entertaining moments, committed performance from Natalie Portman, and individual scenes that work, but it’s still a failure considering it’s a character study that abysmally studies its subject. There’s a scene where some of her behavior is summed up as “things feeling more real again during sex”, which I am unsure of if it’s more manipulation on the part of Mark or just bad writing from the all-male storytelling staff. I’m not necessarily one to fault movies for not hiring female writers, but factoring in how poorly a character Lucy is presented as, it’s hard not to become under the impression that no man here knew how to define and flesh her out. There is no bigger tell to this than the abrupt ending which doesn’t manage to accomplish much of anything.
As a result, the final stretch depicting Lucy’s insanity (attempting to go on a nonexistent mission, hunting down ex-lovers while driving around with a gun loaded in the glove compartment, and generally lashing out at everyone while bringing along her niece to watch the lunacy firsthand) comes across as unintentionally humorous rather than upsetting or thrilling. Then again, it was hard to take Lucy in the Sky seriously from the beginning, as Noah Hawley plays with the aspect ratio so consistently and constantly it’s a major distraction. Here’s a drinking game: take a shot every time it changes. Occasionally, the effect is intriguingly utilized to further plant the viewer into the mental state of Lucy, but there are a number of times where it happens and she is not even on screen. Noah Hawley can’t resist; he seems to think he has uncovered a new storytelling technique when not used correctly, it’s really just pointless.
Again, viewers will most likely tap-out long before then, and if they don’t, a stylistic transportation sequence playing out over a cover of the song Lucy in the Sky will be the final straw. As bad as the third act is, though, it’s at least fun to watch, especially since Natalie Portman is thrusting full speed into the role of Lucy Cola.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, friend me on Facebook, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, check out my personal non-Flickering Myth affiliated Patreon, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
