So as not to bury the lede – Project Hail Mary is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.

I was aware of it before it was released; had read mentions of Andy Weir’s novel the movie is based on. I liked The Martian – both the book and the movie starring Matt Damon. So I should have been expecting much of the same this time.

But with losing Oliver in February and Terri’s surgery in early March, awareness of it faded into the background. Then I saw The Critical Drinker’s review of it and realized that this was something special.

I ordered the book and began to read it – enthralled by the story and the science that goes into the tale; clearly there’s some fiction at work, but a good deal of it is based on actual science.

I had about 100 pages left, but given schedules over the next few weeks – we decided to see it last Sunday at the local theater.

Amaze. Amaze. Amaze. (You’ll have to see the movie to understand that).

I sat there in the dark – almost in tears at points – because of what I was watching. The acting and the special effects created the world I had only seen in my mind’s eye.

Ryan Gosling – who I’ve liked in a number of roles (e.g., The Big Short), but whose characters seemed distant and unapproachable, is different as Ryland Grace (the main character).

Grace is funny, vulnerable, and resistant to the notion of heroics and sacrifice (giving nothing away, that is a major element).

Sandra Huller has a smaller but critical role as the leader of the world-wide project to save the world’s population from a climatological disaster, who brings Grace into the project; later in the movie she sings a moving version of Harry Styles “Sign of The Times”, that echoes the movie’s themes.

Then, there’s Rocky.

Most recent YouTube videos show him in scenes from the movie; there are even videos discussing his biology (based on the book). Seeing them are only glimpses of his character.

I’ll just say it – if you see the movie and don’t fall in love with Rocky, you’re a heartless bastard.

Okay, but what is it about the overall movie that makes it special?

First, the movie respects the audience and treats it as smart.

There are no voice-overs explaining the background; no periodic moments of exposition to explain where the plot is; it’s expected the audience will pay attention and follow along.

As one reviewer noted, many of the current generation of movies are seemingly written with the expectation that audiences are texting on their phones with only occasional glances at the movie.

Except for a tiny bit of animation – everything seen is a practical effect; no green screens or actors reaching out to tennis balls to simulate touching something. When Grace desperately reaches for a switch, Ryan Gosling’s actually reaching for a switch. It makes the acting deeper and more believable.

The characters are not super heroes – they’re smart and capable, but have to figure things out; there is trial and error; and sometimes things don’t work.

Watching the initial attempts at communication between Grace and Rocky highlights the challenges of communicating with an alien species (the book goes into a good more detail about how it’s done – Fourier transforms, anyone?)

And the movie’s message is that even in times of massive peril, humans can find a way to work together to solve problems that benefits everyone. It’s a message of hope – one we all need.

But the movie disdains the usual tropes of heroics and focuses on a flawed, frail human having to solve those challenges and problems for which he had no training – he has to muddle through to triumph using only his ability to think and work with an astronaut from another world.

I don’t want to make the movie seem dark – while there are moments of drama and dark emotion, much of it is funny and entertaining. But there’s enough there to make it an emotional and thoughtful experience.

There’s another reasons I like the book and movie so much.

I grew up in a time when being an educated person was important.

I’m not speaking of going to college.

It’s true many of our parents generation pushed us toward college – seeing it as a path to a more affluent comfortable life than the tough blue collar jobs most of them had.

But that isn’t it.

There was a seriousness to everything – you were expected to pay attention if you were going to open your mouth. There were disagreements and arguments, but typically respect remained for the person with differing views.

People read books and newspapers and news magazines.

And yet, even with much more information available today, people seem to know less than back then.

Somewhere along the line – George Carlin observed that it was by the intent of the owners – people lost the ability and interest in thinking. Feelings and ‘personal truths’ became more relevant than facts – whether current events, economics, history, or science.

A movie about two imbeciles (Dumb and Dumber) was an audience favorite; the same for a television series about emotionally stunted immature geniuses who read comic books and liked dressing up as movie super heroes (Big Bang Theory).

These characters offer nothing but escapism or the celebration of stupidity.

It’s understandable to feel helpless with all the problems of today.

But then you have to get busy and start working on solutions; solutions that may not solve the problems – but you have to think and try anyway – otherwise, you die with everyone else.

Do you need to read the book to see the movie?

No – the book goes deeper into the science of the story and there is some additional context, but it’s not needed to thoroughly enjoy the movie.

I’ve been asked whether I prefer the book or the movie. I see them as complimentary. The book is more intellectually satisfying; the move more emotionally so.

We’re already planning to see it again in several weeks.

Go see this one – trust me.