Project Hail Mary Review: Ryan Gosling Shines

Ryland Grace (Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship, alone, with two dead crewmates and a memory wiped cleaner than a chalkboard after summer break. He doesn’t know his name, his mission, or why the ship’s computer keeps screaming at him in a language he sort of understands. Turns out, he’s a science teacher - yes, a teacher - who’s been recruited to save Earth from a mysterious substance called the Astrophage, which is literally eating the sun. As memories trickle back in flashbacks (think The Bourne Identity but with more astrophysics), Grace pieces together his mission: find a solution, damn the odds, and maybe, just maybe, make a friend out in the void. Spoiler: he does make a friend. A big, rock-skinned, three-eyed friend named Rocky (voiced by James Ortiz), and their relationship becomes the film’s emotional core. The plot barrels forward with the relentless logic of a science experiment, but it never forgets to slow down for the feels.

Phil Lord, who co-directed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, brings that same kinetic energy and visual imagination here. The spaceship - a claustrophobic, neon-lit labyrinth - feels both terrifying and cozy, like a submarine designed by Apple. Gosling is a revelation: his Ryland Grace is equal parts bumbling, brilliant, and deeply vulnerable. He talks to himself, mutters bad puns, and solves impossible equations while looking like he just survived a 24-hour TED Talk marathon. The scenes where he communicates with Rocky - using music, math, and interpretive dance (okay, not the dance, but you get the vibe) - are pure movie magic. It’s a friendship born from loneliness and necessity, and Lord shoots it with the intimacy of a two-hander play.

Sandra Hüller, as the steely mission controller Eva Stratt, brings a cold, calculating weight to the flashback scenes. She’s the kind of boss who would fire you over email while simultaneously saving the planet. The supporting cast - including Ken Leung as a stoic engineer and Milana Vayntrub as a sharp-tongued scientist - add texture, but this is Gosling’s show, and he owns every second. The visual effects are stunning: space looks vast and terrifying, the Astrophage glows like an angry sunset, and the alien world is a marvel of practical-meets-digital design. The score, a synth-heavy pulse that evokes Blade Runner’s dreaminess, keeps the tension humming. The film’s only stumble? A few flashbacks run a bit long, and the finale feels slightly rushed - but that’s like complaining about extra sprinkles on your sundae.

Pros

• Ryan Gosling delivers a career-high performance: funny, relatable, and heartbreaking.
• The Rocky-Grace friendship is the year’s most unexpectedly moving duo.
• Phil Lord’s direction makes science feel fun, not homework.
• Stunning visuals that balance terror and wonder.
• Nails the tricky tone: smart, emotional, and irreverent without being cringey.

Cons

• The 157-minute runtime drags in the second act’s flashback-heavy stretch.
• Some tertiary characters are underdeveloped - Lionel Boyce’s Carl is a highlight but needs more screen time.
• The ending, while satisfying, ties up a bit too neatly for such a chaotic journey.

Project Hail Mary is the rare blockbuster that respects your brain but also yanks your heartstrings like a puppet master. It’s a love letter to science, friendship, and the stubborn refusal to give up - even when you’re floating alone in the dark, forgetting your own name. Ryan Gosling proves that a teacher with a bad memory can be just as heroic as any action star, and Rocky will have you Googling “how to hug an alien” by the end credits. It’s not perfect - it’s a little long, a little neat - but it’s the most fun you’ll have in a spacesuit this year. Go see it. And bring tissues. And maybe a friend. You’ll want to share the joy.