Ad Astra
By Tara McNamara,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Pitt flies high to reach emotional depths in sci-fi drama.
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Ad Astra
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Based on 20 parent reviews
Great movie just skip the baboon scene
What's the Story?
After his father (Tommy Lee Jones) goes missing on an expedition to search for alien life near Neptune, aeronautics engineer Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) goes on a mission to find him in AD ASTRA. Donald Sutherland, Ruth Negga, and John Ortiz co-star.
Is It Any Good?
"Daddy issues" in all their forms may be humanity's greatest common experience, and so writer-director James Gray's space drama will be relatable to many. Decades after his legendary father is presumed dead during a space exploration, Roy has come to realize that he's created a life that echoes his dad's -- perhaps as a connection, but also as an escape. Gray smartly uses the self-contained existence inside a spacesuit to represent the emotional barrier that Roy has created to prevent true human connection.
While the slow pacing may not be for everyone, each shot is perfectly arranged, and the cinematography and visual effects are stunning. It's almost impossible to believe you're not truly passing by Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. And get ready to see a different Brad Pitt. There's no sandwich eating or coffee slurping here -- in fact, one scene has Pitt hooking up to a feeding tube in space, almost as proof that he can act without his hallmark crutch. Portraying a calm, cool, collected character could be a challenge, but Pitt's eyes express everything; when the stoic major allows himself to express the smallest amount of emotion, it's the audience who cries.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Roy demonstrates self-control in Ad Astra. Why is that a positive character strength? Roy's self-control seems to have arrived at the cost of bottled-up emotions. Is there a healthy way to express yourself while retaining control?
What's the importance of human connection? Why is social connectedness different from person-to-person relationships? Do you think someone might choose loneliness?
What's your takeaway from the film? It's a transformative journey -- does that kind of story need to have a message? Do you think you'll notice and learn the lessons life teaches you?
What do you think about the film's prediction about the future of the moon as a tourist destination and war zone? What do you think the future of space travel will look like?
Author Arthur C. Clarke famously said, "Either we're not alone in the universe, or we are, and both are equally terrifying." What do you think?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 20, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: December 17, 2019
- Cast: Brad Pitt , Tommy Lee Jones , Ruth Negga
- Director: James Gray
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors, Multiracial actors
- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Space and Aliens
- Character Strengths: Courage , Self-control
- Run time: 122 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: some violence and bloody images, and for brief strong language
- Last updated: March 5, 2023
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