Moon

(mini-review)

I don't usually squirt over pure science fiction, but I have to admit that Moon is an engrossing film. Is it Oscar-worthy? I'm not sure about that, although Sam Rockwell gives a multi-layered performance as Sam Bell, an astronaut who is contracted to man a lunar vessel. Sam has been on the moon for three years. His only companionship comes in the form of a robot named GERTY and the occasional live feed sent from Earth. He works for a company that harvests clean fuel found on the moon and converts it into fusion energy. I don't know why I'm relaying these plot specifics to you because they're inconsequential. At its core, Moon is a character study.

Rockwell's studied turn as a lonely space cadet is strong enough to sustain the film all by itself. He taps into different segments of Sam's personality without making the character seem too fragmented or abrasive. That said, I didn't become attached to him, and I'm assuming that I'm supposed to care about him. I didn't really like him either. That's the point, isn't it? To empathize with the main character? I can't fault Rockwell. Without giving too much away, he handles a "dual role" better than anyone else I've seen. This performance will rank with Jeremy Irons' binary acting in Dead Ringers.

While Moon failed to pull me in emotionally, I was still engaged on other levels. The cinematography is ravishing, the pace is smooth, and the ending is satisfying. I wasn't floored, but this motion picture certainly deserves my stamp of approval. And so it shall be written.