The Midnight Sky is two movies at once. One is the story of a dying man connecting with a young child who inspires him to find hope again. The other is about an isolated spaceship crew desperately trying to get back to earth. For me Sky never quite successfully connects the stories nor makes either as compelling as they need to be. This is further complicated by the fact Clooney's character's storyline keeps flashing back to him as a young man, adding almost another story within a story. I kept feeling it would have worked better if they had picked one narrative and really got into the chosen one. However, having said that, none of the stories are bad and for the limited run time each gets they don't overstay their welcome. The Midnight Sky therefore ends up being entertaining enough if rather forgettable.
Nothing in The Midnight Sky feels that fresh. The storylines hit the expected beats. Each story has been told before and nothing here is surprising. Again, to be fair, the cast does well with what they are given and Clooney doesn't drop the ball on how he tells the stories. There just isn't much new the film explores. These stories have been told before. They feel overly safe, giving us what we are looking for. I guess there is really no crime in that but perhaps I was hoping for more.
The Midnight Sky tries to end on a bit of a profound note, and perhaps how you react to how it ties everything up will speak to your own embracing of sentimentality. For me the ending felt forced and a little trite. Yet even so I found it moving enough that I can't condemn the whole film. I think there might have been a time in my life when I responded more to this sort of a story than I do now. But perhaps for others it will strike the right note. Either way, The Midnight Sky is not a waste of time it just may be more of less satisfying depending on how it speaks to you.
The Midnight Sky
Starring: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Owelowo, Damian Bichir, Kyle Chandler, Tim Russ, Ethan Peck
Director: George Clooney
Writer: Mark L. Smith
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