Film Review: ‘Spaceman’ is a Tour de Force Performance From Adam Sandler in a Somber Sci-Fi Space Drama

Sad Adam Sandler has become my favorite type of Adam Sandler, at least onscreen (I hope he’s very happy in his life off of it). When he gets serious, Sandler is often riveting, proving time and time again that he’s more than just a clown. Spaceman is just the latest example of this, putting as much trust in the Sandman as any film of his, to date. Taking cues from other science fiction works like Ad Astra and Gravity, as well as one man shows (this isn’t quite one but he’s pretty much alone onscreen) like All is Lost, Sandler is given a challenging assignment. That he lifts it from good to great is a testament to his skills.

Spaceman is a somber sci-fi drama that has Sandler almost exclusively acting against himself or a CGI creature. That creature, as you have gathered from the trailers or if you read the book, is an alien spider. Some of you know that I have an issue with spiders. I really can’t deal with them in movies, so the fact that I not only could watch this, but loved it, as well as came to care about the space spider in question, means that this is truly something of note.

Set in the near future, Czech astronaut Jakub Procházka (Sandler) is six months into a mission to the edge of the solar system. There’s a mysterious cosmic event happening near Venus that’s been considered too dangerous to examine, so Jakub is a bit of a celebrity for his country volunteering to take on the research mission. Alone, he sends transmissions back to Earth updating his progress, seen by adoring fans and fellow countrymen. However, a message from his wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan) is being withheld by Commissioner Tuma (Isabella Rossellini). They’ve been having issues, and she saw him taking this mission as him running away from their problems. With only really Peter (Kunal Nayyar) at mission control to talk to, Jakub seems on the edge. Then, he discovers a creature has been hiding on his ship. Is it a figment of his imagination? An effect of the cosmic event? Or, has he been visited by an alien? At a certain point to Jakub, does it even matter? He’s alone and it sure seems to be here, trying to talk to him.

The creature (voice of Paul Dano), which looks like a giant spider, can communicate with Jakub and attests to its friendliness. A researcher itself, the creature is studying him. Initially, he’s terrified, but as time passes, comes to accept the spider as something of a companion, naming it Hanuš. As Jakub begins to grow closer to Hanuš, one sticking point is the creature repeatedly accessing memories of Lenka. As they get more painful, the pair begin to understand more about why Jakub has gone to space. To say where things ultimately go would spoil a lot, but it’s emotional, heady, and leaves you on a melancholic yet perhaps hopeful note.

Adam Sandler gives one of his best performances here, tapping into a well of sadness with none of the manic energy he’s usually mixed in. I would say he’s worthy of Academy Award consideration next year, but the early release date is going to make that a tough sell. Regardless, Sandler is aces, doing so much with his eyes. The way he bonds with a CGI spider is ultimately heartbreaking, without an ounce of artifice. Hanging on wires to simulate zero gravity and having philosophical conversations with an alien that could be in his head, Sandler finds the heart here. I was quite moved by his performance. The voice work by Paul Dano is excellent as well, finding the alien yet also familiar nature to the creature. The curiosity in his voice is palpable. Dano gives such life to the spider, he made me care about it. That alone is worthy of note. Carey Mulligan has a role here that would be easy to make one-note, but she finds a lot of layers to it, elevating the material, which is somewhat in Sandler’s shadow. Mulligan is too good of an actress to allow anything less, so instead of being wasted, she puts her section on her back. Kunal Nayyar and Isabella Rossellini aren’t given anything exceptional to do, but they play their parts well enough. Supporting players here include Lena Olin, but Sandler is truly the star.

Director Johan Renck and writer Colby Day place a lot of trust in Sandler, which is well rewarded. Adapting the novel Spaceman of Bohemia, there appears to be a narrower focus, letting the Jakub and Hanuš relationship, as well as a parrelel story of Lenka on Earth, be center stage. The latter isn’t quite as interesting, but it does definitely pay off. There are nice touches, like the branding and ads centered around the Czech space program, but this is somewhat no frills. Credit to Renck for never letting boredom set in, as well as for somehow not making me scared of the big spider. The cinematography by Jakob Ihre is more or less what you’d expect in a sci-fi picture like this, while the score from Max Richter is effectively haunting.

Spaceman hit me hard. I’m being vague about why, for spoiler’s sake, but just know there’s plenty of emotion here. There’s philosophy too, but even if you’re just here for Adam Sandler, the man came to play. This is destined to not just be one of his most underrated performances, but also likely one of his least appreciated movies. I hope I’m wrong, and you all discover it like I did, but even if it doesn’t land, it’s more evidence that Sandler’s eventual Oscar nomination is drawing closer and closer.

SCORE: ★★★1/2