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Lucy in the Sky

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This article is about the film. For the Beatles song, see Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. For the comic book character, see Karolina Dean. For the young adult novel, see Lucy in the Sky (novel).

Lucy in the Sky
Theatrical release poster
Directed byNoah Hawley
Screenplay by
  • Brian C. Brown
  • Elliott DiGuiseppi
  • Noah Hawley
Story by
  • Brian C. Brown
  • Elliott DiGuiseppi
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPolly Morgan
Edited byRegis Kimble
Music byJeff Russo
Production
companies
Distributed byFox Searchlight Pictures[2][1]
Release dates
  • September 11, 2019 (2019-09-11) (TIFF)
  • October 4, 2019 (2019-10-04) (United States)
Running time
124 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$21.4 million[3]
Box office$325,950[3][2]

Lucy in the Sky is a 2019 American psychological drama directed by Noah Hawley in his feature directorial debut, and co-written by Hawley, Brian C. Brown, and Elliott DiGuiseppi. The film stars Natalie Portman as astronaut Lucy Cola, loosely based on the life of real-life NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak.[4] Alongside Portman, the cast includes Jon Hamm, Zazie Beetz, Dan Stevens, Colman Domingo, and Ellen Burstyn in supporting roles.

The plot follows Lucy Cola as she returns to Earth after a transcendent experience in space, only to find herself losing touch with reality as her life unravels. Struggling to readjust to life on Earth, Lucy embarks on a dangerous emotional and psychological journey that tests her grip on sanity.

Lucy in the Sky premiered at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2019, before its theatrical release in the United States on October 4, 2019, by Fox Searchlight Pictures.[5][6] The film received negative reviews from critics, who criticized its pacing, writing, and lack of character development; however, praise was directed at Portman's performance. It emerged as a commercial disaster at the box-office, grossing $325,950 worldwide against a production budget of $21.4 million.

Plot

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Astronaut Lucy Cola is profoundly affected by her first mission in space, an experience that leaves her feeling disconnected from life on Earth. Upon returning, she struggles to reintegrate into her everyday routine with her supportive husband and niece. Although advised to undergo therapy and rest by NASA, Lucy becomes increasingly determined to return to space as soon as possible. She immerses herself in physical and mental training, pushing herself beyond limits in an effort to qualify for the next mission.

During her training, Lucy befriends Mark Goodwin, a fellow astronaut with whom she begins an extramarital affair, further distancing herself from her husband. She also meets Erin Eccles, a younger astronaut who recently set a new record, intensifying Lucy's competitive drive. As Lucy grows closer to Mark, she discovers that he is also romantically involved with Erin, which adds to her growing feelings of betrayal and isolation. When her grandmother dies of a stroke, Lucy's emotional stability deteriorates further, and her increasingly erratic behavior begins to worry those around her, including her husband.

Despite her efforts, Lucy is informed by the NASA administration that she has been passed over for the upcoming space mission due to her erratic behavior, including a near-drowning incident during training and her failure to attend required therapy sessions. Instead of accepting the decision, Lucy becomes paranoid, suspecting ulterior motives, particularly when she finds that Erin has been selected for the mission. She becomes fixated on the idea that Mark, who had urged NASA to pass her over, is conspiring against her.

Lucy's psychological state deteriorates as she embarks on a cross-country road trip with her teenage niece, planning to confront Mark and Erin. During the journey, Lucy experiences hallucinations and leaves troubling messages for NASA. She ultimately tracks down Mark at an airport, where she confronts him, armed with a variety of weapons. Her attempt to seek revenge is thwarted when the police apprehend her, finding an array of disturbing items in her car.

Three years later, Lucy's life has taken a different path. She now works as a beekeeper, tending to hives with a sense of peace. Her niece, now in school, gives a class presentation, watched by Lucy's estranged husband. In a quiet, reflective moment, Lucy opens the hood of her protective suit and gazes at the bees and a butterfly, hinting at a fragile sense of acceptance and closure.

Cast

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Production

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In February 2017, Noah Hawley was brought on board to produce a film then titled Pale Blue Dot, alongside Bruna Papandrea and Reese Witherspoon, with Witherspoon initially set to star in the lead role.[7] However, in November 2017, Witherspoon exited the project to film the second season of Big Little Lies.[8]

By January 2018, Hawley had also taken on the role of director, marking his feature film directorial debut, while Natalie Portman entered negotiations to replace Witherspoon in the lead role.[9][10] The film's title was later changed to Lucy in the Sky, inspired by the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".[11]

In March 2018, Jon Hamm joined the cast, followed by Zazie Beetz in April and Dan Stevens in May.[12][13][14] In June 2018, Ellen Burstyn was cast to portray the grandmother of Portman's character.[15] The cast continued to expand with the additions of Colman Domingo and Jeremiah Birkett in July 2018.[16] In February 2019, it was announced that Nick Offerman had also joined the cast.[17][18][19]

Release

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Lucy in the Sky had its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2019.[20] The film was subsequently released in theaters on October 4, 2019, by Fox Searchlight Pictures.[21]

Reception

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Box office

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Lucy in the Sky grossed $55,000 from 37 theaters during its opening weekend, a performance that was widely described as "terrible".[22]

The film emerged as a commercial disaster at the box-office, grossing only $325,950 worldwide by the end of its run, against a production budget of $21.4 million.

Critical response

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Lucy in the Sky received negative reviews from critics, who criticized its pacing, writing, and lack of character development; however, praise was directed at Natalie Portman's performance.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Lucy in the Sky holds an approval rating of 21% based on 127 reviews, with an average score of 4.4/10. The site's critics' consensus reads: "Portman gives it her all, but it isn't enough to overcome Lucy in the Sky's confused approach to its jumbled story."[23] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 36 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[24]

In a 2023 interview, director Noah Hawley reflected on his experience making Lucy in the Sky, stating he "did not have a great experience." Hawley explained, "In retrospect, the film was bought and set up as a Reese Witherspoon black comedy, and there must have been some extent to which Searchlight was expecting it to be that, and I delivered my magic realism astronaut movie [with Portman]. They didn't know what to do with that movie."[25]

Awards

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At the 46th Saturn Awards, Lucy in the Sky earned three nominations: Best Science Fiction Film, Best Actress for Portman, and Best Supporting Actress for Burstyn.[26]

Controversy

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In November 2018, retired astronaut Marsha Ivins, who flew five space missions, criticized the premise of Lucy in the Sky, denying the existence of a "longstanding idea that says astronauts begin to lose their grip on reality after being in space for an extended period of time."[27][28][29] Following its premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, the film faced additional criticism from multiple media outlets, some of which jokingly noted the omission of more salacious elements from Lisa Nowak's real-life case—most notably, her alleged use of adult diapers to avoid bathroom breaks during her journey.[30][31][32][33]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Lucy in the Sky (2019)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Lucy in the Sky (2019)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on November 21, 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Lucy In The Sky". Bomb Report. October 21, 2020. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  4. ^ Martinez, Gina (October 3, 2019). "The True Story Behind Lucy in the Sky—and the One Key Detail the Movie Leaves Out". Time. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  5. ^ "Lucy in the Sky". Toronto International Film Festival. Archived from the original on August 13, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  6. ^ "TIFF 2019: Lucy in the Sky with Natalie Portman, Mick Jagger's The Burnt Orange Heresy to screen". CBC.ca. August 13, 2019. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  7. ^ McNary, Dave (February 18, 2017). "Noah Hawley to Produce Reese Witherspoon's Astronaut Drama 'Pale Blue Dot'". Variety. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie; Hipes, Patrick (November 9, 2017). "'Big Little Lies': Reese Witherspoon Backs Out Of 'Pale Blue Dot' As HBO Miniseries Nears Second Installment". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  9. ^ Kit, Borys; Galuppo, Mia (January 11, 2018). "Natalie Portman to Star in Astronaut Drama 'Pale Blue Dot'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  10. ^ Erbland, Kate (October 4, 2019). "Noah Hawley Comes to Terms With 'Lucy in the Sky' Bad Reviews: 'It's Not a Movie for Everybody'". IndieWire. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  11. ^ Desta, Yohana (March 19, 2019). "Natalie Portman Is a Twangy Astronaut in Trippy Lucy in the Sky Trailer". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  12. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 14, 2018). "Jon Hamm to Star With Natalie Portman in Astronaut Drama 'Pale Blue Dot' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  13. ^ Kit, Borys; Galuppo, Mia (April 2, 2018). "Zazie Beetz in Talks to Join Natalie Portman in 'Pale Blue Dot' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  14. ^ Kit, Borys; Galuppo, Mia (May 10, 2018). "Dan Stevens Joining Natalie Portman in Fox Searchight's Noah Hawley Drama (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  15. ^ Kit, Borys; Galuppo, Mia (June 8, 2018). "Ellen Burstyn Joins Natalie Portman in Fox Searchlight's Noah Hawley Drama (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  16. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (July 10, 2018). "'Fear the Walking Dead' Star Colman Domingo Joins Fox Searchlight's Noah Hawley Film". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  17. ^ Marc, Christopher (February 12, 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: Nick Offerman Has A Role In Noah Hawley's Sci-Fi Drama 'Lucy In The Sky' Starring Natalie Portman and Jon Hamm". HNEntertainment.co. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  18. ^ Hooton, Christopher (June 28, 2018). "Zazie Beetz: 'My German identity is really important to me'". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 16, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  19. ^ "First Photo: Natalie Portman In "Pale Blue Dot"". July 25, 2018. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  20. ^ Vlessing, Etan (August 13, 2019). "'The Aeronauts,' 'Burnt Orange Heresy' Added to Toronto Film Fest Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 13, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  21. ^ "LUCY IN THE SKY, Starring Natalie Portman, Arrives This October". Rama Screen. August 8, 2019. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  22. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 6, 2019). "Warner Bros. Laughing All The Way To The Bank With 'Joker': $94M Debut Reps Records For October, Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix & Robert De Niro". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 4, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  23. ^ "Lucy in the Sky (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on September 12, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  24. ^ "Lucy in the Sky Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 29, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  25. ^ "Noah Hawley Has Been Offered the World, but 'Fargo' Keeps Calling". The Hollywood Reporter. November 16, 2023. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  26. ^ Hipes, Patrick (March 4, 2021). "Saturn Awards Nominations: 'Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker', 'Tenet', 'Walking Dead', 'Outlander' Lead List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  27. ^ "What Hollywood Gets Wrong About Female Astronauts and the Reality of Space". Time. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  28. ^ "Reese Witherspoon Playing A PTSD Astronaut In Pale Blue Dot". CINEMABLEND. May 13, 2015. Archived from the original on October 12, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  29. ^ Rose, Steve (September 16, 2019). "Fly men to the moon: Ad Astra and the toxic masculinity of space films". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 16, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  30. ^ "Give Us Diapers in Natalie Portman's Diaper Astronaut Movie, You Cowards". Vice. September 12, 2019. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  31. ^ Schwedel, Heather (September 11, 2019). "I'm Boycotting Natalie Portman's Diaperless Astronaut Diaper Movie". Slate. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  32. ^ "There's A Troubling Lack of Diapers In Lucy In The Sky". AV Club. September 13, 2019. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  33. ^ "Where the Hell Is Natalie Portmans Diaper In Lucy In the Sky". Vulture. September 13, 2019. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
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