The Midnight Sky

UK Release Date: 11 December 2020

Director: George Clooney

Cast: Demián Bichir, Tiffany Boone, Kyle Chandler, George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Sophie Rundle, Caoilinn Springall

Runtime: 118 mins

Rating: ⭐ ½

Review:

The Midnight Sky doesn't evoke any important, intellectual discussion within its painfully stretched runtime. There isn't a lot to latch onto in general - as the film also suffers from a severe lack of poignancy. Elements that could be forgiven if there was a level of originality involved, but despite being based on Lily Brooks-Dalton's novel, Good Morning, Midnight, the film plays as a distasteful riff of far superior films. Attempts to replicate the genius wonder of Sunshine, the stoicism of Ad Astra and the euphoria of Interstellar - and in attempting to tackle such a wide spectrum of thematic ideas, The Midnight Sky flounders to achieve any. A bleak, sombre exploration of the struggles of isolation that falters in becoming an epic, grandiose piece of sci-fi cinema. 

A complete tonal juxtaposition furthered by a puzzlingly bizarre score from Alexandre Desplat. Admittedly, a composer, that personally fails to emotionally connect more often than not, but his work in The Midnight Sky is a disaster. Beginning with several whimsical, orchestral pieces - marking itself audibly. Therefore, it doesn't work at all when the sound transitions to gloomy and dreary. Desplat comes across as uninformed on the film's flimsy subject matter due to the fact that the score feels wildly unfocused. 

Although talented, it turns out that George Clooney struggles with the weight of multiple roles in The Midnight Sky. Delivering an adept performance as a man largely cut off from the rest of humanity, he seems far more assured in front of the camera - a perception only bolstered by his lack of simplification behind it. Littered with a plethora of horrendously, misplaced flashbacks amidst the central, tonally jarring coinciding storylines. One baffling narrative decision after another. Although, in fairness to Clooney, his collaboration with Martin Ruhe produces well-versed camera movement - in terms of the manner it appears to float around the screen. A clever creative choice blatantly absent throughout the rest of the film. 

Mark L. Smith's script is also absolutely abysmal. Painful stretches of dialogue resulting in non-existent chemistry between characters. Felicity Jones in particular delivers an incredibly wooden performance. Another facet of this disastrous adaption of a critically well-received and respected debut novel.