“Fly Me to the Moon,” directed by Greg Berlanti, comedically draws on a 1960s space race conspiracy theory through the lens of a romance between a launch director and an advertising specialist determined to mend NASA’s weak public image.

While not quite shooting for the stars directorially, the film relied heavily on star power with a cast list stacked with Hollywood’s big names such as Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum and Woody Harrelson. Once rid of any expectations of cinematic greatness, this homage to the U.S. space race carries a lot of appeal with its formulaic approach to romantic comedy. 

Kelly Jones (Johansson), the cleverly charismatic advertising agent whose charm never fails to help her get her way, and Cole Davis (Tatum), the high-strung NASA launch director haunted by the failure of the first Apollo mission, meet when Jones arrives to increase patriotic excitement for the race to the moon. Davis, dedicated to the real mission, and Jones, who cares more for a shiny image than any commitment to authenticity, often clash heads. Despite being ultimately attracted to each other, the film often highlights the characters’ differences, making the story a classic back-and-forth enemies-to-lovers tale.

Johansson’s performance made its mark in dazzling fashion throughout the film with the aid of her powerfully feminine vintage pastel wardrobe. Tatum’s performance did not stray far from his typical rough-around-the-edges love interest with a soft side, though, at times, he seemed unconvincing in a period piece. The chemistry between the leads did not jump off the screen, as Tatum acts as if he’s in a cheaply-inspiring biopic while Johansson plays it like a satire on American media culture. 

Aside from a somewhat original plot point being the falsification of the U.S. moon landing, the script and character development follow well-tread territory. The film carries a decent variation in tone, with moments of light-hearted humor broken up by emotional realness and dramatic backstories. At times, moments of seriousness feel like a forced attempt at emotional depth, but other times feel delightfully human.

The film possesses lots of space in addition to the cosmic kind. With an over two-hour run time, the storyline is drug out beyond its necessity and the modern attention span’s level of comfortability. Much can be said for a slow burn, and, while the film allows for the savoring of every witty joke and romantic eye glance, the pacing can leave the viewer angsty for less filler and more substance.

A bit cliche and failing to meet the modern craving for shock value and originality, “Fly Me to the Moon” will grow on viewers due to its entertaining performances, lighthearted tone and easily digestible content. Audiences won’t be rolling in tears, but can expect a chuckle here and there and maybe even a newfound sense of historical wonder. 

3 black cats out of 5