Fly Me to The Moon

UPDATE: Revised a few things, including an awkwardly worded intro. But I still launched it initially in time for the exact minute.

If I time this right, then I will launch this review on July 16th, 2024, at 6:32 AM PST, 55 years to the exact moment Apollo 11 launched from Kennedy Space Center. How appropriate, then, that it's for Apple TV's latest theatrical release, Fly Me to the Moon. A few spoilers might be necessary, so let's blast off to the review.

Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) is a con-artist who sells herself as a marketing genius. She catches the attention of Moe Berkus (Woody Harrelson), a secret agent man who sends her down to Kennedy Space Center as NASA's newest marketing specialist. It's up to her to sell the public on the looming Apollo 11 launch. But first, she has to sell her unorthodox methods to launch director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) and his crew. She doesn't get off on the right feet with them when she hires impersonators to take interviews. But she and Cole eventually fall for each other as she secures funding from a few senators.

Moe soon orders Kelly to stage an "alternative" moon landing as a contingency. Kelly reluctantly brings along her usual director, Lance Vespertine (Jim Rash) and his crew, to rehearse and film "Project Artemis" at a NASA warehouse. Hilarity ensues, until Moe decides to broadcast Kelly's fake moon landing no matter what. How will Kelly get out of this ethical crisis? How does a black cat, named Mischief, figure into this?

Director Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon, Arrow) works from a script by Rose Gilroy that the credits state is "Based Upon the Story by Bill Kerstein & Keenan Flynn". It's an unusual credit listing for a comedy with an unusual running time at 132-minutes. The film lulls in a few places, while Project Artemis isn't even a plot point until an hour into the film. Yet, the film eases our patience with its leads' personalities. Kelly maybe a con artist, able to change names and accents at will, but her people skills are real. She gets a truly great monologue when she reveals her tragic backstory to Cole. Speaking of Cole, he's decently likable, but you truly feel for him once the film reveals his connections to the ill-fated Apollo 1. It's amusing to see them trade quips with each other, and while their meet-cute moment may have been heavily trailered, it's still fun to see it in context.

You’ll be hooked during the climax as editor Harry Jierjian sends our heroes on the final countdown. Kelly, Lance & NASA control guys Stu Bryce & Don Harper (Donald Elise Watkins & Noah Harper) make a mad dash to secure necessary equipment (with smash and grab!), Moe breathes down their necks, while Cole mans the control center. Once Apollo 11 lands, the film obfuscates the differences between Kelly’s broadcast and Apollo 11’s feed. “Which one’s real?” you’ll ask yourself. Let’s cut to the chase: the film makes it clear that it’s real. It’s truly heartwarming when Cole declares “that’s our guys,” while Moe is surprisingly graceful once he realizes the truth. It definitely sells how much an achievement the moon landing was.

Anyone else I should mention? Ray Romano and Anna Garcia are pretty likable as Cole & Kelly's respective confidants, Henry Smalls & Ruby Martin. The various actors playing the sympathetic senators, including an uncredited Victor Garber, made for some good cameos. Mischief was actually played by three different cats - Hickory, Wilbur, and Eclipse - and the end result is one entertaining kitty. You won't forget how he figures into the climax. Apollo 11's eventual blast-off is made nice and loud with some impressive sound design. Kelly's renovations to her "broom-closet" office makes for some great production design by Shane Valentino; his recreation of the control center is also striking. There's also a nice romantic score by Daniel Pemberton; his standout is the romantic theme for Kelly & Cole.

It maybe overlong but Fly Me to the Moon has a likable cast and a happy ending. What's not to like with a romantic comedy? I think it's worth a watch, but when? Maybe you'll want to watch it on Saturday to commemorate the moon landing. Or maybe you'll want to wait for it to stream on Apple TV, whenever that is. I don't know if you'll be over the moon for it, but I think you'll be decently entertained whenever and wherever you watch it. That's it for now.