Lucy Cola (Natalie Portman) returns to Earth after a transcendent two weeks in space. Back on terra firma she is unable to adjust to a normal life that feels too small in comparison to the vastness of space. 

Back home she is distant from her husband Drew (Dan Stevens) and throws herself back into her training at NASA, desperate to get a seat on the next possible mission. When fellow astronaut Mark Goodwin (Jon Hamm) invites her to the NASA space veterans bowling club she starts an affair. As her connection to her normal life starts to fracture her life spins out of control. 

Lucy In The Sky is inspired by true events but does not really attempt to tell the true story of astronaut Lisa Nowak. The events are very similar but the film is far more interested in the character study of Lucy Cola’s mental breakdown as a result of her experience of space. 

There are two stars of this film. The first is Natalie Portman and she is exceptional. She embodies the character of Lucy so completely that Portman disappears entirely. Lucy is driven and fiercely committed to being an Astronaut and her slow break from reality is expertly handled by Portman. The second is the aspect ratio of the film. It is constantly on the move throughout the film and will change mid scene as well. Initially this is intriguing, but after some time it becomes a crutch that the film relies on far too much. The goal is to show Lucy’s mental state. When in space or training at NASA the film is in glorious widescreen. When she is down to Earth or feeling claustrophobic and penned in the film changes to a boxy 4:3. There are times when the frame gets even smaller trapping her in a small box as the sound starts to blur away as she is placed under intense pressure. The issue is not necessarily with the use of the framing, it is that the story meanders and dawdles without urgency resulting in the framing being relied on to tell us the story. If what was happening on screen was more immediate and used in conjunction with this device it may well have been a master stroke. 

I would love to say this film deserves your time on Portman’s performance alone, but I can not. She is hugely impressive and continues to be one of the best actresses working right now who is prepared to take risks with her films. It is also more disappointing given that this is the directorial debut of Noah Hawley, the show runner and creator of the seminal TV series Fargo. 

One last thing, yes the titular song does appear as a cover version from Jeff Russo and Lisa Hannigan and of course Hawley makes sure more visual trickery is employed during the scene it appears. With Portman transported over great distance without moving as the background rushes behind her. Another visually impressive feat used as a way to enhance Lucy’s emotional state.