Fly Me to the Moon
2024
***
Director: Greg Berlanti
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Jim Rash, Anna Garcia, Donald Elise Watkins, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Nick Dillenburg, Ray Romano, Woody Harrelson
As NASA prepares for the Apollo 11 mission, the White House recruits a marketing specialist to sell the space programme to the American public. Along the way, she develops a romantic connection with the gruff launch director. This watchable but formulaic romantic comedy tells a fictional story set against a real-life backdrop. That premise alone might have made a stronger film, but the second act introduces a subplot about a staged moon landing in case the real mission fails, stretching the runtime by at least 30 minutes. While Scarlett Johansson gives a bubbly performance, Channing Tatum's lifeless character keeps him from shining.
