Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones, brought in to fix NASA's public image, wreaks havoc on Apollo 11 launch director Cole Davis' already difficult task of putting a man on the moon. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as backup, and the countdown truly begins.
Fly Me to the Moon is a reasonably charming period romcom with a fun hook — the fake moon landing conspiracy backdrop gives it a distinctive enough premise. The plot is breezy and functional but relies heavily on familiar romcom beats and misunderstanding tropes, never quite capitalizing on its more satirical potential. The leads (Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum) have decent chemistry but neither is stretched. Cinematography is competent with period-appropriate production design but nothing visually memorable. Novelty gets a slight bump for the Apollo-era setting and the meta conspiracy angle, though it doesn't push far enough to feel truly singular. The ending deflates into predictable romcom resolution, squandering the sharper comedic and dramatic possibilities the premise suggested.