The Astronaut
I'll give Kate Mara credit for taking unusual projects. However, when they don't work they really don't work. The Astronaut starts out as a psychological thriller with Mara cast as our astronaut recently returned from space and suffering "common" side effects while kept in seclusion in a secure facility off the grid (which at least makes for an interesting setting as events devolve). Mentioning several times what our astronaut is experiencing is normal, the film continues to push and prod Mara's character to question her reality and her sanity.
The unusual house and the odd events experienced by an unreliable narrator offer a strong enough starting point for the film. There's certainly a thriller worth exploring. Sadly, writer/director Jess Varley loses the thread introducing supporting characters not necessary to the core of the plot, interrupting the isolation which is key to questioning our protagonist's reality, while constantly struggling with the idea of what kind of movie The Astronaut is supposed to be.
The film delves deeply into sci-fi horror, teasing an alien interaction with our protagonist, and eventually even body horror, before bizarrely switching gears and becoming a Disney Channel-esque take on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The film should come with a warning as the shift in tone is likely to give you whiplash.
- Title: The Astronaut
- IMDb: link
