When I saw the trailer for the new HBO Max movie Moonshot, I predicted exactly how the movie would go—at least, how the movie would end in regards to the two main characters.
Still, I chose to watch it because I am a sucker for romcoms, and it’s a fun way to procrastinate on homework.
The movie stars Lana Condor as Sophie and Cole Sprouse as Walt, two college students on an adventure to Mars. Sophie, on her way to see her long-distance boyfriend, Calvin, begrudgingly agrees to help Walt, a stowaway on the trip following his whims. A series of shenanigans ensue as the two try to avoid getting caught and thrown off the ship.
As expected, the two get closer and closer until they have a climactic fight, going their separate ways once landing on Mars.
Throughout the trip, Walt tried to convince Sophie that she should follow her own dreams, not her boyfriend. Now reunited with her boyfriend, Sophie starts to notice his pressure to control her future career and keep moving forward without consulting her. She eventually decides to return to Earth, reuniting with Walt on the passage home.
Although Moonshot is not interstellar and groundbreaking, it handles the romcom cliches well. Sophie and Walt’s friendship and, later, romance, grows slowly. Condor and Sprouse are also botched seasoned actors in rom coms, having previously starred in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise and Five Feet Apart, respectively. As such, they are able to play their characters’ interactions and banter in a way that is endearing and authentic.
The movie’s scenery and cinematography is beautiful and feels like a love letter to the sci-fi genre. It also touches on themes of how, despite the importance of Earth to humanity, we tend to take it for granted.
However, every time I finish a movie like Moonshot, I can’t help but wonder why the protagonist needs a boy in her life to provoke change. Why couldn’t Sophie decide for herself that her plans no longer matched with Calvin’s, and that it was time to part ways? Why did she need Walt to point these things out to her and push her to stand up for herself?
I understand it’s supposed to be a sweet sentiment, but in 2022, it hardly feels necessary. Let the female protagonist change her own life without doing it for the sake of a boy for once.
Despite the occasionally cheesy lines and ever-present cliches, Moonshot is still worth a watch. At the very least, it will transport you to an alternate reality for two hours where you can escape from the everyday bores of average life.