Ad Astra (2019)

	Directed by: James Gray	COUNTRY USA GENRE Science Fiction NORWEGIAN TITLE Ad Astra RUNNING TIME 124 minutes
	Produced by: Brad Pitt Dede Gardner Jeremy Kleiner James Gray Anthony Katagas Rodrigo Teixeira Arnon Milchan
	Written by: James Gray Ethan Gross

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Roy McBride	Brad Pitt	½
H. Clifford McBride	Tommy Lee Jones	½
Helen Lantos	Ruth Negga
Eve	Liv Tyler
Colonel Thomas Pruitt	Donald Sutherland
Lieutenant General Rivas	John Ortiz
Chip Garnes	Greg Bryk
Donald Stanford	Loren Dean
Adjutant General Amelia Vogel	LisaGay Hamilton

Review

Well-meaning, stylish and sometimes thought-provoking science-fiction, with a definite emphasis on the fiction part of the label. In a near future, Earth is in a semi-state of chaos, and humanity is looking outward more than inward (again). Luckily, writer/director James Gray (Little Odessa, The Immigrant) isn't preoccupied with the usual evil-is-lurking-around-every-corner narrative. This is an attempt at thoughtful filmmaking. It's just that most of the thoughts are coming directly from Brad Pitt's echoed voice-over, which is still ringing in my ears. With Tommy Lee Jones, who's inspirational as always in the few scenes we get to share with him, and Liv Tyler, who plays Brad Pitt's girlfriend in what must be a good contender for most unthankful role ever.