User reviews

POSITIVES:

1) All the scenes with Eva Green's character, Sarah, and her daughter, Stella, are emotional and fantastic 2) I respected the film for not "Hollywoodising" its subject matter 3) There is a scene near the end where Sarah and Stella are talking through a glass shield and Stella's face reflects over Sarah's on the other side of the glass and it was such a beautiful shot

NEGATIVES:

1) I wasn't engaged at all by any of the scenes of Sarah's astronaut training 2) Matt Dillon's character was very cliche and underdeveloped 3) There is no score until the final 15 minutes and that made the film quite boring and not cinematic 4) The film doesn't really have any kind of purposeful story, it's a bit pointless 5) Despite going to a 1:20pm screening I genuinely felt my eyes closing at times

Apparently the writer thinks that only female astronauts are parents. Either that, or male astronauts don't really have relationships with their children. I don't think one would ever see a movie like this where a male astronaut's relationship with his child was the primary focus of the movie. And then, at the end of the movie, she does something really stupid that would very likely end her career and possibly put her colleagues in danger. The parts of the movie that are about preparing to go into space were interesting (though slow), but the human drama parts were annoying.

Written by Alice Winocour and Jean-Stéphane Bron, and directed by Winocour, Proxima is the story of a mother and daughter trying to cope with impending separation. The fact that the mother is an astronaut and that the separation will result from a year-long mission to Mars is very much secondary. Instead, we're presented with something more universal and relatable - the often contradictory responsibilities one has to one's profession and one's family. At the same time, this (unapologetically feminist) film looks at the demands placed on a woman in a male-dominated field where machoism counts for something. More akin to "science fact" films such as The Right Stuff (1983) and First Man (2018) than recent science-fiction work such as Aniara (2018) or Ad Astra (2019), Proxima is a quiet story that maps in great detail the sheer force of will it takes to get into the condition necessary to go space. And although the narrative does sag in a couple of places, and Winocour frustratingly abandons realism in a crucial scene towards the end, Proxima is brilliantly acted throughout. It certainly won't appeal to those looking for the grandiosity or existentialism of classic sci-fi, but it remains a moving examination of motherhood.

In the near future, Sarah Loreau (a superb Eva Green) is a French astronaut based at the European Astronaut Centre (ESC) in Cologne. The only woman in the program, she lives with Stella (a stunning Zélie Boulant), her seven-year-old daughter. Unexpectedly, Sarah is chosen as a replacement for a crew member on the Proxima mission - a year-long three-person final exploratory mission to Mars before colonisation begins. Sarah begins her training at ESC, before travelling to the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, Russia, and finally to the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Alongside her are mission commander Mike Shannon (an excellent Matt Dillon), an experienced, but smug loudmouth who publically welcomes Sarah to the team by noting that as she's a French woman, she's probably a good cook, and Anton Ocheivsky (Aleksey Fateev), a soft-spoken Ukrainian cosmonaut. At the same time, Sarah is attempting to transition Stella into getting used to living with her father, Thomas (Lars Eidinger), a German astrophysicist from whom Sarah is amicably separated. However, the demands of the job and the concomitant separation put a huge strain on the bond between Sarah and Stella, to the extent that Sarah starts to consider dropping out of the mission altogether.

Proxima is Winocour's third film after Augustine (2012) and the criminally underrated Maryland (2015), both of which deal with intense, highly skilled men who are torn between their professional and private lives, in a similar manner to so many Michael Mann protagonists (and antagonists). With Proxima, however, Winocour moves into uncharted territory - although the protagonist here faces a similar struggle, for the first time, that protagonist is female.

One way Winocour examines the theme of private vs. professional is her use of a recurring motif involving an ESC employee trying to get Sarah to sign papers stating whether or not she wants to be informed should anything happen to Stella. The knee-jerk reaction, of course, is that she should sign them immediately - what kind of person wouldn't want to know if their child was ill or even dead? However, as Winocour presents it, it's more complicated than that; think of Sarah's helplessness - she'd be stuck in space knowing that Stella is dead, but having to complete her assignment anyway. And so Sarah finds her attachment to Stella in conflict with her commitment to the longevity of the mission.

This motif also speaks to the feminist restructuring of a traditionally male narrative. By suggesting that a mother might choose her job over her daughter, even if only for a year, Winocour highlights that whilst it's socially acceptable for men to leave children behind (Mike speaks proudly of his young sons), it's something of a social taboo that women could do so. Another element of the film's feminine (if not necessarily feminist) quality relates to practical biological differences. For example, Sarah is told that tampons count towards her personal weight limit, whilst she has to be moulded for a smaller chair than Mike and Anton.

Aesthetically, the film adopts a realist approach which is almost documentarian in places. Clearly, Winocour and Bron did huge amounts of research, and it helps the sense of authenticity immensely that it was shot on location at the real ESC, Yuri Gagarin Centre, and Baikonur Cosmodrome; in the case of the Yuri Gagarin Centre, Proxima was the first feature film granted access to shoot in the real prophylactorium, with the crew granted the same accreditation as the on-site scientists.

In terms of problems, certainly, if you go into this expecting sci-fi, you're going to be bitterly disappointed. However, the itself makes no bones about the fact that it's the story of a mother and daughter, not a piece of science fiction, and one can only engage with it on its own terms. Another issue is that the narrative does drag in places, and ten minutes or so could have been shaved off the run time. Perhaps the biggest issue I had is that Winocour abandons her rigid adherence to realism for a sequence towards the end of the film which not only strains credibility but is tonally different from everything around it.

Proxima is a small story of a mother and her daughter set against a vast background - the macro is simply the context for the micro. Examining the pain of separation and the clash between the professional and the private from a uniquely feminist point of view, it carries a universal message that will surely speak to any mother who has wrestled with the conflict between pursuing her own dreams and the demands placed on her by having children. However, make no mistake, this is a celebration of the feminine rather than a woke attack on the masculine - men aren't the of the joke or the target of anger, they're simply not very important to the story. A space movie about a woman that takes place entirely on Earth, Proxima is another strong piece of work from a very talented director.

The subject is a European Space Agency mission called Proxima, astronauts will travel from the Russian launch site to the space station and stay there living and working for a year. The prime subject of the movie is the single French mom who has an eight year old daughter. Being separated for that long will be difficult for both of them.

This is not a space action movie, in fact it ends with the blast off. It is a character study, surely inspired by the many mothers who have done something similar over the past 35 to 40 years. During the end credits are a montage of several female astronauts and their families, from a variety of countries.

This is a good movie, my wife and I enjoyed it at home on DVD from our public library.

It's not a science fiction movie, so if you expect it, you're wrong. Emotionally, I think it's very resonant, plain but relevant.

As European cinema is not about special effects and love stories with explosions on the background, but rather about things that are real, common and confronting, this movie is anything but a disappointment if you are familiar with the style.

If you like a good book, this is a film you should watch. It's about the little things of personal interaction. About sharing precious moments, or breaking promises. ("love vs struggle")

This movie makes you reflect on yourself, as you will not always understand why your main character does what she does. How she is capable of leaving Earth being a mother.

I have read reviews about the movie being full with stereotypes and cliché's. I think the truth is quite the opposite. Russians seem to be the friendliest and most supportive people in the world. An ex-husband who is (on a distance) emotionally involved in her life. An American ex-soldier actually reciting poetry, and children acting like children.

If you rate this low, you are simply not on their level!

Drama. A new picture with the participation of my favorite actress Eva Green. How could I pass by? Why didn't I go to the cinema? Yes, everything is simple, because this picture was not even brought to the regional center of our great and vast country, what can I say about my favorite movie theater in a small town (in which even "Gentlemen" were not shown). Sessions were only in Moscow and the northern capital. I personally could not do anything about it, so I had to wait for the premiere in digital form, which I got to just now. And here is my brief opinion for you - a good drama about mother and daughter. Since I managed to see at the moment a huge number of paintings, the experienced eye itself found various shoals and so on. But, nevertheless, in order to bring a pinch of objectivity, I'll tell you not only about the minuses, but also about the advantages of this picture, so that you can determine for yourself whether it is worth your attention and your time, or not. Then I finish with the preface, and proceed to the analysis. So, the pros: 1. History - the film will discuss the difficult relationships of a young woman who has become an astronaut (I will call her "astronaut" in the Russian manner, for this word is much more pleasant and closer to me than an "astronaut"), who will have a long and dangerous mission and her daughters, with all the ensuing consequences. The heroine of Eve is also divorced at the same time, so the relationship with the ex is also layered on all the unfolding events. I can't say that the drama turned out to be strong and tearful, but I can't even name it bad, because the actors really tried. I was already afraid that when watching it I would fall asleep, but Eve and the others made me keep track of what was happening almost continuously, since the timing of the picture turned out just so that it would not become boring to the viewer. 2. Russia - a picture of European production, but was shot mostly in Star City and in Baikonur, which is good. I am always interested in any appearance of Russia or Russians (well, either the USSR or Soviet people) in foreign cinema. And, let alone hide, almost always we appear in the form of spreading cranberries with bears, vodka and balalaika. This is not observed here, we are shown by ordinary people, with their concerns and problems, one Russian cosmonaut is worth something. The painting mentions Yura Gagarin - the first person to fly into space, the memory of which is heavily etched both in the West and in our country, which makes us sad. The Russian speech of the heroes is good, not without accent, and the Russian actors did their best. 3. Mood - it is rather melancholy throughout the whole picture. Since the picture is European, I was afraid to fall asleep from everything that was happening, but again, the actors saved. Let's just say that if you have a similar mood - this picture definitely suits you, you will definitely get some pleasure. So cons: 1. Nasty scenes - Dear European directors! Why do you have scenes of vomiting and other muck in every picture? Do you have such a fetish? Or installation from upstream producers? Don't think wrong, I'm not a hypocrite, it's just that all the European cinema that I watched in four years contained similar scenes. Is it really that necessary? Are they revealing the image? I will answer you - No! Thank God that when I watched I did not chew anything, otherwise there would be a nuisance. Could you really show these scenes with respect to the viewer? Well, at least with the closed door of the toilet cubicle! 2. Scenario miscalculations - despite the simplicity of the story and familiar types, there are several points in the picture that raise some logical questions that no one will answer. There were two such moments, and then, they are very noticeable. Perhaps you will find more. 3. Music - the second fetish of European directors is that they do not really like to bother with music in their paintings. Everything repeated here. You don't think, there is music, but in very rare moments that only emphasize the general melancholy. I would like more music! A little about the main characters: 1. Sarah Loro, performed by Eva Green, is a French astronaut who has a difficult mission in outer space. Eve again pleased me with her acting, forcing me to literally admire every frame with her participation. And what else is remembered - the final credits dedicated to women who have visited Space - a strong promise. At first I thought that this was another feminist attack, as was the case in "Birds of Prey", but no. This is a tribute to the feat of the weak half of humanity, who have become explorers of the Cosmos on a par with men, remaining themselves - and this is the most important thing. The heroine of Eve is strong, but sometimes shows weakness, shows emotions, she is a living person, and not a robot that performs mechanical commands. Eve once again pleased me! A whole pen Mademoiselle Green! 2. Mike Shannon performed by Matt Dillon - American astronaut, crew member, which includes Sarah. A little proud, arrogant, but at a critical moment can save a life. At first, this hero did not arouse my sympathy, but gradually his image was revealed and I believed him. Matt played this character well. Well done! 3. Anton Ochievsky performed by Alexander Fateev - Russian astronaut, crew member with Matt and Sarah. A good-natured person, from the first appearance in the frame, takes care of Sarah and the rest. Reliance team. An ordinary person with his problems and concerns. Alexander definitely managed, there's nothing to complain about! Well done! And I can not help but mention Sarah's daughter performed by Zeli Bulan, who played very well. Their relationship is just a must see and feel. How sad it may sound, but this picture is one-time, just like the two previous European paintings with the participation of Eva Green - "Euphoria" and "Based on real events." Once looked, maybe even admired - and the next day I safely forgot. So happen this time. As a result, we have a good drama about the difficult relationship of mother and daughter with a melancholy mood, atmosphere of music, an interesting story told, with several serious problems, and with good acting, especially the beautiful Eva Green!

Proxima is a very sincere, intimate and devoid of pathos cinema. This is the psychological portrait of a woman devoted to her dream of flying into space. When the main character approaches her goal, she begins to understand how difficult it will be to leave the planet. The picture is more like a documentary than a science fiction story. Great Eva Green and good pictures of the Bajkonur spaceport deserve praise.

If you are a die-hard sci-fi fan, then you're likely to be disappointed by Proxima, which presents itself as a sci-fi movie but it's not. This is a movie about the relationship between a divorced mother, Sarah, and her young daughter, Stella; now, Sarah happens to be an astronaut selected for an all important mission on the ISS, so more specifically the plot could be described as: "what happens to a mother-daughter relationship when the mother is about to leave the earth for a 1-year long mission in the space". I would presume this would restrict dramatically the probabilities of viewer identification with the situation... In reality, the space mission is just a very light background to the human relationship story; per se, this would not even be a big problem for me if the story was good. Unfortunately, I found that even the story about the mother and the daughter was very predictable and very cliché. Moreover, one element was rather annoying for me, ie. that our mother astronaut is ultimately a quite irresponsible person. Astronauts are supposed to be vary cold-blooded, very rational people, highly trained and prepared- physically and mentally - for their missions. Now, what the lady astronaut discovers on the eve of the mission (she misses her daughter) was not so hard to guess before embarking into it. But the lack of self-assessment of her limits puts at risk the mission, the work of her colleagues and the millions invested into it.

It isn't a question of how flashy the sci fi is, it is a question of how interesting and challenge it is. Proxima is neither. In fact it is so didactic as to be insulting to the audience and seems to assume the audience are dullards that need repetition.

As some of the other reviewers state, this movie's plot should be consider boring and uninspired. The focus is on the Eva Green's character's relationship with her child, the fact she is literally leaving the planet, gives it an interesting twist. What makes the film work for me, is the acting since it gives the scenes a ton of depth, the entire premise is to make you empathize with them. As the moment of "departure" approaches both protagonists undergo emotional turmoil and it really intensifies close to the end, feels like the gradual build is the intention behind the slow pace, some might find uneventful. There are some interesting paradoxes - the exact moment that signifies she has succeeded in the becoming astronaut, her life purpose, is the same moment she dreads, since it means separation form her child for 6 months. At one point the girl even seems to feel her mother is abandoning her and how could she not.

Favorite quote "The hardest part, is when you come back and realize, everyone was doing fine without you". There could have been more snippets into the personal life of the other astronauts, as that seems to be the theme. Feels like a lost opportunity. I don't have children and generally can't stand melodramatic movies. However there is something about the acting and cinematography that make this movie unique, it is just so realistic and it simply sucks you in.

Sarah (Eva Green) is given the chance of a lifetime to go to the International Space Station for a year. The trouble is it means leaving her beloved daughter Stella (Zélie Boulant-Lemesle). The film charts her exhausting and often restrictive training whilst she tries to cope with leaving her daughter and trying to do and say the right things.

This is actually quite a simple tale, told and acted well about the relationship between mother and young daughter when pressures threaten to pull them apart. Green in excellent struggling between the two most important things in her life, whilst young Boulant-Lemesle is extremely impressive as Stella. Care, this is a straight sometimes moving drama. It is not an adventure or a sci-fi film, you've been warned, although the training is interesting.

Eva Green is amazing as usual. The story typical French faire. Interesting to see a side you don't normally see in astronaut movies, that others either ignore or gloss over; the impact on family when you leave even if it was a bit melodramatic. However any real feminist strides made is negated by the protagonists inability to control her emotional fuel actions. A trope that's old and tired. Unfortunately without it it, there wouldn't be any drama, and I'm glad they didn't pursue the even more tired trope of "woman in a man's world". Although they kind of touch on it, which was fine because it would feel weird out of place if it ignored. Watch it just for Eva Green

We all know that women are extraordinary strong beings, capable of great and difficulty tasks. Even properly mutated, they have destroyed plagues of zombies and saved the planet, more than once, at least in Hollywood. So, my only critic with that movie is... Why she does something so stupid in the end, and in such an unbelievable cinematic way? And, without any consequences? Sadly, that part don't fit with the realistic tone of the rest of the film. Overall, it's a interesting movie about the space, and the great challenges for the body and the soul that awaiting, even in the orbit of the Earth, for the adventurous spirits that left the planet behind. The space tourism and the colonization of another worlds remain today in 2020 just chimeras, against the hard true of the tragic vacuum beyond the Earth, with all its radiation and countless dangers, but that movies give us a glimpse of reality and some of hope for the human race, with all its small achievements. Very good work of Dillon, like the American cowboy, and Green, the incredibly beautiful french astronaut, of course.

-"French women are really good when it comes to... cooking." -When you were a kid singing "Frere Jacques" -He also refers to her as "space tourist"



A sublime and intimate portrayal of family life. It just so happens that mummy is an astronaut. But what's really wonderful here is the humanisation of a career path, showing that no matter what you do for a living, we are all vulnerable and we are all affected by our very human nature and core emotions. A truly beautiful film conveyed intelligently and seamlessly in four languages without ever being jarring or grandiose.

Eva Green is just excellent, as is Matt Dillon, who together break down perceived stereotypes to achieve something rather special and very touching. A deft hand in direction here allows the subtle themes to slowly seep through your pores and grab you before you realise what's happened.

My first visit to the cinema following lockdown was worth the wait.

Recommended.

The film made me shake my head: how can our furure relies on a astronaut broke her quarantine to just to see her daughter? Someone definitely not a determined character to take the greatest task of mankind. The plot tried so hard to just be different. But the political message is so overwhelming instead of human dynamics of weakness. Absolutely dislike it.

The movie centers on Sarah, a French astronaut undergoing training before going to the Internation Space Station, and her relationship with her somewhat sensitive daughter Stella. We alternate between her gruelling training and her difficulties being a mother at the same time. Don't expect flashy sci-fi here; the action remains firmly grounded on Earth, with most scenes either at the European Space Agency center in Cologne (looks like any adminstrative building), Germany or in the post-Soviet setting of Star City in Baïkonur, Kazakhstan. Eva Green's performance is amazing, though her role suffers a little from a less-than-realistic twist towards the end. I found Zélie Boulant, who plays little Stella, equally impressive; and the mother-daughter relationship really makes for a beautiful story. The supporting cast is also very good, I though Matt Dillon did a good job as a tough-but-fair NASA astronaut going on the same mission as Sarah. His character seemed a bit like a cliché boorish-American-guy at first, but that faded away fast enough.

I give this film 1 star...and that 1 star goes to the actors...because that's the only thing worthy of this film (Matt & Eva); in the attempt to project women's role in space & science..the director totally blew it....instead of strength and fortitude and vision.....she ended up serving a mixed salad bowl of weakness, incompetency, melodramatic senses, and "emotions over scientific mindset" for the main female character....resulting in the most boring, non-nonsensical, erroneous and brainless view of scientific woman..........totally contrary to the amazing caliber of women we have working in the space programs today . It seems the director allowed all of her bag of emotions to spoil the film for everyone...including for the actors. She clearly missed her own point. Opportunity missed.