Ad Astra

Existential Spoilers Ahead

I recently rewatched James Gray’s under-appreciated masterpiece Ad Astra, starring Brad Pitt in a version of Heart of Darkness/Apocalypse Now in space, with an additional heavy dose of father issues. The film is visually staggering and unfolds like a philosophical treatise in the form of an epic 90$ million cinematic poem that relies more on mood and existential implications than an innovative plot. There’s a lot to unpack in the film, but I just want to focus on the main character’s change in his outlook on life, which is reflected in two short monologues that bookend the narrative. Brad Pitt as astronaut Roy McBride gives verbal evaluations of his emotional state before he is able to proceed with this mission, which he masters with a steadily calm demeanor. His entire life is focused on his identity as an astronaut and the meaning he gets out of it, which in turn leads him to miss out on any form of meaningful personal life. This is the evaluation he gives at the beginning of the movie:

I am focused only on the essential, to the exclusion of all else. I will make only pragmatic decisions. I will not allow myself to be distracted. I will not allow my mind to linger on that which is unimportant. I will not rely on anyone or anything. I will not be vulnerable to mistakes.

This could be read as some kind of technocratic pep talk on how to reach your goals without being distracted by one’s more vulnerable elements, yet there is something profoundly lonely in his approach. Through Roy’s journey and the obstacles he faces along the way, most of all meeting his father (who abandoned his son to follow his own destiny as a space pioneer), Roy returns to Earth a more grounded man. His last speech takes on the same form as the first, only now turned on its head:

I'm steady, calm. I slept well, no bad dreams. I am active and engaged. I'm aware of my surroundings and those in my immediate sphere. I'm attentive. I am focused on the essentials, to the exclusion of all else. I'm unsure of the future but I'm not concerned. I will rely on those closest to me, and I will share their burdens, as they share mine. I will live and love.

This isn’t to say that it’s not worthwhile to strive for something that gives us purpose, but we also shouldn’t forget what makes us human. I know I still have to keep reminding myself of this basic recognitions, but that’s what films like Ad Astra are there for.