Ad Astra drowns in earnest contemplation

movie review

Ad Astra

Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, and Donald Sutherland

Directed by: James Gray

Tagline: The answers we seek are just outside our reach.

Would you like to watch two hours of Brad Pitt being emo in space? Then you’re in luck because you can do just that by watching Ad Astra, a moody exploration of a glum astronaut’s interstellar father issues.

The protagonist is Roy McBride (Pitt), a coolheaded space traveller (with a grating penchant for voiceovers). His father, celebrated astronaut Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones), went on a mission to the outer reaches of the solar system in the hopes of finding intelligent life decades ago, but eventually went missing after reaching Neptune.

When mysterious power surges start hitting the world, they raise the possibility that the senior McBride is still alive and might be causing the disruptions. Roy – who believes Clifford is dead – is recruited to potentially establish contact with his father. The quest for the truth leads him on a mission of his own, a voyage that finds him looking inwards while journeying through the vast expanses of outer space.

The movie is visually stunning; the cinematography is impeccable. And Pitt’s central performance is decent. Everything else, however, is a bit of a let-down.

The more science fiction you’ve consumed, the less impressed you’re likely to be with Ad Astra. Its cinematic influences – from 2001: A Space Odyssey to Gravity and Interstellar among many others – cast a shadow on the outing, making it seem derivative and vacant in comparison. 

How you feel about moon pirates and rabid monkeys randomly entering an introspective drama might also determine how much you’ll enjoy Ad Astra. The film begins with some promising ideas, but its potential starts to evaporate with each questionable turn, ultimately collapsing under its own pretentiousness. The movie’s attempts at venturing into interesting, philosophical territories – exploring topics like abandonment and hubris – mostly falter, largely because of a weak script. The unnecessary, on-the-nose voiceovers are eye-roll-inducing; the earnest contemplation has all the depth of a teenager’s diary.

The supporting cast is also mostly squandered. Liv Tyler, who plays Roy’s wife, has little to do in the film. Natasha Lyonne appears in one whole blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene because why not.

All in all, Ad Astra is visually stellar but lacks the fascinating, compelling, inventive elements that make meditative dramas gripping. Heavily inspired by sci-fi classics, this James Gray film is most likely to connect with viewers yearning minimal excitement and in the mood for some mellow introspection.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep Today, The News - 11th October, 2019 *