Adam Sandler gets a trippy space age trip with my least favorite insect.
To quote Ron Weasley in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” “Why spiders? Why couldn’t it be “follow the butterflies”?.” That was my question when “Spaceman” requires a big alien spider as some kind of spiritual guide to Adam Sandler’s astronaut character Jakub Procházka. I was disillusioned by that when I found out the movie features that, but it continues to allow Sandler to break free from his Happy Madison comedies to take on more serious roles.
He’s demonstrated his horizons wisely with “Punch Drunk Love,” “Spanglish,” “Reign Over Me,” “Uncut Gems,” and “Hustle.” And now, with “Spaceman,” he uses a Czech accent without trying to be funny, and his character study gives him complexity. It’s also amazing that we have two space operas out this weekend: the electrifying “Dune: Part 2” in theaters and the interesting “Spaceman” on Netflix, and they have interstellar ideas. Pun intended.
Now, we can be serious.
Jakub is on a mission in space to collect space dust, as he struggles to reconnect with his pregnant wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan), and has trouble sleeping at night. And soon, he finds himself greeted by the big alien spider I don’t want to touch. He’s voiced by Paul Dano, he has traveled across the galaxy-through black holes and dimensions-and managed to get in touch with the astronaut. Although he has difficulty believing the spider is real, and that he may be hallucinating due to the stress he’s been suffering lately.
But the spider assures him he’s real, he means no harm, and he’s only here to help. It’s a struggle, but he learns to cope with the spider, whom he names Hanus after the man who was believed to have built the Astronomical Clock in Prague. The spider likes that name.
Meanwhile, Lenka resents her husband for embarking on his space mission, while his commanding officer Commander Tuma (Isabella Rossellini) tries to tell her not to turn her back on him. These moments seem arbitrary, considering that Jessica Chastian expressed the right emotions when her father was on a long space mission in “Interstellar.” But the story also lingers on about Jakub’s selfish choices within their relationship, and how he learns from his mistakes.
“Spaceman” was directed by Johan Renck (best known for directing the “Chernobyl” miniseries), and is based on Jaroslac Kalfar’s novel “Spaceman of Bohemia” with Colby Day writing the screenplay. I mean no disrespect to the book, but I still think Hanus should have been a completely different insect. I’m sorry. But I have arachnophobia. However, Dano uses the right tone to voice an all-knowing alien who tries to examine the Sandler character. And Sandler, himself, gives an exceptional performance in the notion of a man learning from his choices and what the universe has to offer.
The universe is filled with so many amazing questions about the meaning of it all and what is in store for all life forms. “Spaceman” takes a low key and yet sentimental approach on the subject. I may not understand it, but I can sense when the story is passionate about it. But what I’m mostly proud of is how Sandler has been improving on his recent work lately. He can be both a funny actor and a serious actor, and he manages to keep both sides balanced. It all depends on the genre his latest project is in.
The oxygen levels are stable on this space trip, and even through its troubles, we can still hear it scream.
Now Playing in Select Theaters
Streaming on Netflix This Friday
