Moon landing conspiracy theorists may want to sit out Scarlet Johansson and Channing Tatum’s FLY ME TO THE MOON. The story draws from historical NASA events but it's largely fictional. What you get is a hilarious rom-com with clever dialogue and great chemistry between Tatum and Johansson, but Johansson carries the film.
Recruited by a shadowy government official (Woody Harrelson), marketing expert Kelly Jones (Johansson) is hired to sell NASA’s Apollo 11 flight to the American people and the U.S. Congress after the Apollo 1 disaster. However, Launch Director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) is less than thrilled with the distraction to the mission.
It’s a good sign when a room full of critics laughs throughout the movie Directed by television veteran Greg Berlanti (Riverdale, Superman & Lois), and written by Rose Gilroy and Bill Kirstein, FLY ME TO THE MOON features very clever writing delivered by an exceptional Johansson in a role unlike anything she’s tackled before. The character skillfully manipulates people into changing the course of their beliefs and actions. It’s a fun lesson on how to change people’s mindset.
Tatum’s serious character as NASA’s Launch Director is also a nice departure from the actor’s usual work. Tatum’s Cole is laser-focused on the astronaut’s training but he carries a heavy burden after the death of the Apollo 1 astronauts in 1967. Hence he resists Kelly’s marketing ploys as well as her charms.
FLY ME TO THE MOON is a delightful departure from the usual Hollywood assembly line of movies. Johansson and Tatum’s charismatic nature and great chemistry drive the momentum from start to finish.
Much of the humor is inside jokes related to the time and knowledge of NASA’s history. The fake moon landing scenario is completely fictional as a debunked theory, but it works for this story although it’ll be interesting to see if conspiracy theorists will use it as proof of their convictions.
FLY ME TO THE MOON lands in theaters on July 12.
