The opening scene will take your breath away. I don't think a single cell in my body flinched for a solid five minutes as I watched Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) fight to keep his craft from floating away into space. The scene is spectacular visually and in every sense of filmmaking execution. It's also a bit misleading.

The rest of the movie, aside from the moon landing, is remarkably tame. It's quiet. There are virtually no loud outbursts or emotional speeches. This story is about people doing their jobs, completing their missions. Gosling understands this and plays to Armstrong's stoicism perfectly. He is often an understated actor, choosing to let his subtle facial movements and glints of the eyes do as much talking as what actually comes out of his mouth. Neil is much the same except even less outwardly expressive. He clearly comes from a generation that did not display emotion. They suffered in silence, which no doubt frustrated many family members, especially spouses.

Armstrong's wife Janet (Claire Foy) is a classic case of a spouse desperate to glimpse beyond his emotional shield. She restrains for the most part, but her building frustration is apparent throughout. When she finally does unleash her emotions, it's startling. Her outbursts stand out in such stark contrast to the silence that we see from the other characters. Foy is smart and measured with every choice she makes, and she never comes across as unhinged or overly supportive to a point of unbelievability. She's strong as a quiet devoted partner and strong when she senses the need to speak up. Look for her to add another award nomination to her resume come that time of year.

For as great as Gosling and Foy are, Damien Chazelle is the star of this movie, just like he has been the star of every one of his movies. I don't mean this as a bad thing. They guy is simply so skilled at what he does that his impact stands out among all the other standouts in his movies. He doesn't take the conventional approach to a space movie, which is to hammer viewers with showy visuals and action sequences. He's careful not to overdo it those areas, instead focusing on Armstrong's psyche and life outside the space shuttle. Chazelle crafts a personal, intimate film and shoots it in a creative way that uses a variety of framing choices so the closeups never feel stale.

This is a giant story told on a deliberately small scale. The choice to focus on Armstrong's objectively less captivating homelife rather than the moon mission is risky. Only the most talented of filmmakers, which Chazelle is, could pull it off. "First Man" is another showcase of Chazelle's mastery. He's one of the best directors currently working. The fact that this film may eventually be considered Chazelle's 6th or 7th best and is still this excellent, is a tribute to his talent.

FIRST MAN is a routine dramatisation of America's lunar landings, following in the footsteps of Neil Armstrong as he undergoes personal tragedy and training issues on his way to becoming one of the 20th century's most famous figures. It's a lengthy and overly worthy affair, bogged down in a sense of its own importance. Cast members including Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy and Ciaran Hinds are all fine and dependable in their roles, but I found the direction somewhat pedestrian, only getting interesting in some outer-space visuals that feel like they hark back to the likes of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. It's not a bad film, but I'd much rather watch the real thing - i.e. a documentary - instead.

In 1961, Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) is a test pilot for the X-15 with nerves of steel. He manages to save the landing after some difficulties. Others dismiss him as simply an egghead engineer. He is severely private but he does break down over his daughter's death. Janet (Claire Foy) is his dutiful wife. He joins the Gemini program run by former astronaut Deke Slayton (Kyle Chandler) which would lead him to be the first man on the moon.

This is Damien Chazelle's first film without music as the subject. He is able to bring action to the space exploration. There are a couple of nice visceral close shaves. The Gemini uncontrolled spin is really thrilling. The marriage is interesting with two compelling actors. The over-riding feeling is a dry unemotional narrative. Most of that is due to the quiet reserve of Armstrong. He is not a man of emoting and the movie has to work within the constrains of his personality. The production is impeccable. The vibe doesn't have the emotional highs and lows that are necessarily for a truly intense film.