The Right Stuff (1983)

Space Program Double Feature, Movie #1 (Please click the links to read my reviews of Solaris, 2001: A Space Odyssey, 2010: TheYear We Make Contact, Red Planet and Mission to Mars) 

Synopsis: It’s 193 minutes of alpha male meatheads circling the planet.  

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “For excitement, inspiration and sheer entertainment, this movie’s got The Right Stuff. “

What Did I Learn?: If there’s even a chance you’ll need your spacesuit to remain buoyant for a few hours of floating in the ocean, it’s not a great idea to fill up the pockets with pens, marbles, paperweights and other tourist crap.

You Might Like This Movie If: You've always dreamed of leaving this planet.

 

Really?: Funny how Chuck Yeager is portrayed as the coolest man on the face of the planet (or above it), and all of the other test pilots are a bunch of lucky goofballs. 

Rating: Based on the Tom Wolfe book, The Right Stuff is a fascinating, and often amusing look at America’s early space program. The Right Stuff is certainly an impressive movie with great special effects, many memorable scenes and fine performances by a top-notch cast, but  it lacks focus (seriously – who’s the protagonist?), and it veers uneasily between comedy and mythic drama. As I watched this film, it occurred to me that perhaps director Philip Kaufman wasn't sure what sort of movie he wanted to make. 7.5/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086197/?ref_=nv_sr_1