Spaceman

Mention the name Adam Sandler, and most will think of iconic characters performed on Saturday Night Live (SNL)—Lunch Lady, Opera Man, Pepper Boy. If that doesn’t ring a bell, then some of his well-known movies might sound familiar—Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates.

Adam Sandler, if you look at most of his work (over 60 films and 15 television shows), is famous for being a comedic actor, but over the past 20 years, he has attempted more serious roles on occasion. Some of those films include Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Funny People (2009), Uncut Gems (2018), Hustle (2022), and now Spaceman (2024).

Spaceman (released on Netflix) is a science fiction drama based on the 2017 book “Spaceman of Bohemia” by Jaroslav Kalfar. The movie tells the story of Jakub (Sandler) a Czech cosmonaut who is sent on a yearlong solo mission to explore a mysterious dust cloud just beyond the planet Jupiter. Jakub, struggling with loneliness, goes into a depression when his wife Lenka, (Carey Mulligan) pregnant with their first child back on earth, has stopped sending him messages. Mission control decides to hide from Jakub that his wife wants a divorce and will no longer be sending communications.

This is where the film takes a turn and gets interesting. In the middle of his mental and emotional distress on the far side of Jupiter, a mysterious and curious visitor makes contact and offers to help Jakub process his feelings of regret and grief. The ancient visitor (voiced by Paul Dano) is both frightening and strangely intriguing—making the viewer question if the entity is an ancient explorer from an unknown galaxy or merely a projection of Jakub’s subconscious.

Spaceman is a movie for fans of science fiction. Sandler gives a good performance, and the visual effects are great, but some might find it a little slow. Christians will appreciate the themes of repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation as Jakub faces a choice that will end up shaping his beginning and end. (Rated R for language, Netflix)