Any film that casts Channing Tatum as a NASA launch director is either aiming for an outrageous comedy or risking a misguided drama. Fly Me to the Moon doesn’t commit to either and instead lands uncomfortably in the middle. Directed by Jonathan Levine (Warm Bodies, Long Shot), the film imagines a fictional subplot in which NASA’s marketing team scrambles to devise a backup plan in case the moon landing goes awry. Leading this quirky effort are Scarlett Johansson as a spunky marketing whiz and Channing Tatum as a rigid, by-the-books launch director. Their bickering chemistry is meant to anchor the comedic tone, but the film frequently veers into absurdity, reducing NASA’s brilliant scientists to slapstick caricatures. While the premise is undeniably fun, it’s ultimately undone by a meandering narrative and an overlong runtime.
Johansson is the film’s saving grace, delivering an energetic yet familiar performance reminiscent of her Black Widow persona. Her character’s charm shines, even if her overly dramatic neck movements during emotional moments unintentionally invite laughter. Jim Rash stands out as well, stealing scenes as the eccentric director Lance Vespertine and delivering the movie’s most genuine laughs. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast struggles to leave an impression. Tatum offers a self-aware but uninspired take on his usual persona, brooding and quiet. Woody Harrelson feels absent in spirit, and NASA’s team of scientists are written as bumbling caricatures. On top of that, the characters’ motivations flip-flop so frequently that their actions feel more like plot conveniences than natural developments. This might have worked if the film fully embraced a comedic tone and leaned into absurdity, but it never quite pushes things to that level. Instead, it seems to expect the audience to empathize with these paper-thin characters, making the emotional beats feel hollow and unearned.
To its credit, Fly Me to the Moon isn’t entirely without charm. The moon set offers some whimsical visual appeal, and the concept of blending space-race nostalgia with comedic absurdity had potential. However, the film lacks the sharp satire and narrative focus of better entries in this niche, such as Capricorn One (1978), which tackled similar themes with much greater intrigue. Instead, Fly Me to the Moon feels weighed down by its bloated runtime (it is 2 hours and 25 minutes long!), with scenes like the excessively drawn-out plane ride coming across as filler that drains the movie’s energy.
Ultimately, Fly Me to the Moon had all the ingredients for a breezy and entertaining romp through the space race, but it’s largely undone by lackluster performances and an overly lengthy runtime. Instead of delivering a whimsical lunar adventure or a sharp space-race satire, the film feels like a disjointed and aimless journey, weighed down by its unfulfilled ambitions and leaving audiences grounded rather than inspired.