--- title: "Ad Astra" year: 2019 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/ad-astra" fi1m_score: 78 critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 31 published: "2026-09-17T20:17:17.194394+00:00" updated: "2026-09-17T20:17:17.762614+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Ad Astra (2019) Directed by James Gray · 2h 03m · MPA PG-13 · Science Fiction, Drama **Fi1m score: 78** · Critics 76 from 31 reviews *In a sentence:* Brad Pitt’s face could have saved the voiceover a considerable amount of work > James Gray’s space drama is worth the journey for Brad Pitt’s restrained, affecting performance and its convincing sense of danger. The voiceover explains too much, but the loneliness gets through. ## Synopsis Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) begins an interplanetary search for his missing father, H. Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones). His story includes Thomas Pruitt (Donald Sutherland), a journey towards Neptune and a car chase on the Moon. Roy wants to find a man whose absence has come to dominate his life. His outward composure makes him suited to the dangers of space travel, but does little to ease the isolation he carries with him. As the journey gets under way, physical hazards complicate a search in which family loss and professional duty are difficult to separate. ## Review *Ad Astra* sends an astronaut towards Neptune to look for his missing father, then spends much of the journey watching him struggle to admit what that means to him. James Gray has made a good, sometimes moving space drama whose principal asset is Brad Pitt’s ability to keep a feeling almost out of sight. The trouble is that the film keeps supplying words for feelings we can already see. Roy McBride is a useful role for Brad Pitt because it makes his composure something to examine. His stillness can look professional, then lonely, without a large change of expression, and the close-ups give us time to notice the difference. We were moved by the effort it takes him to keep that face under control. The prospect of finding his father troubles the calm he brings to his work, and the performance makes that disturbance clear even when the script is labouring the point. Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography gives those close-ups a clarity that makes small changes of expression worth watching. Space still feels large, but the attention paid to a face keeps us interested in the person making the journey. Kevin Thompson’s production design is especially effective in the lunar car chase, where the vehicles feel solid and vulnerable against the surrounding terrain. That practical sense of danger gives the sequence a tension that the film’s more solemn passages sometimes lack. Editors John Axelrad and Lee Haugen keep that action legible, but the film’s rhythm is less secure between its bursts of danger. The suspense episodes are individually effective, though they do not always fit comfortably beside Roy’s long stretches of introspection. There is pleasure in their staging, yet the return to his private troubles can feel like starting again. Across 123 minutes, the repeated changes of pace leave the middle section feeling longer than it needs to be. The more persistent problem is the screenplay by James Gray and Ethan Gross. Its voiceover explains Roy’s isolation so frequently that we start attending to the wording instead of the man, and the wording is not always equal to the attention. Brad Pitt has already shown how much Roy is keeping to himself, so being told again becomes tiring. Max Richter’s score gives these passages a tenderness that the heavy dialogue can lack, allowing the sadness to linger without another account of its causes. As a space adventure, the film is unusually willing to sit with someone who offers little reassurance or easy charm. That can be absorbing, though anyone expecting the lunar chase to establish the pace for the rest should adjust their expectations. The long stretches spent studying Roy are central to what James Gray is attempting, and hurrying through them would sacrifice much of what makes the performance affecting. Give it a quiet evening, and accept that the voiceover will occasionally explain something you already understood. *Fi1m score 78, published 17 September 2026.* ### Reviews we read (31) - **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (3/5/5): The critic hails it as a rich, contemplative sci-fi opus and Gray's most fluent work, praising Pitt's nuanced performance and the visual ravishments while framing it as a poignant exploration of losing a parent and personal ambition. [Read](https://lwlies.com/festivals/ad-astra-venice-film-festival-review-james-gray-brad-pitt/) - **The i Paper**, Demetrios Matheou (★★★★★): The critic calls Ad Astra the most complete and profound sci-fi film since 2001: A Space Odyssey. They single out Brad Pitt's masterclass in minimalist yet highly emotive acting as the heart of this thoughtful, spellbinding film. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt-release-2001-a-space-odyssey-340283) - **The Telegraph**, Robbie Collin (5/5): James Gray’s astonishing science-fiction epic deconstructs alpha-heroism through an elegantly told, staggeringly visualised classical adventure narrative. Pitt delivers a grippingly inward performance that anchors the film on a star-system-sized canvas. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/ad-astra-review-brad-pitts-star-quality-shines-existential-sci/) - **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (90/100, inferred): Gray turns Ad Astra into an instant classic of intimate cinema by reaching far within himself through a far-out setting. The film's textural achievements and deep subjectivity stand out as its great accomplishments. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/ad-astra-reviewed-james-grays-masterwork-of-personal-film-in-an-alien-setting) - **Total Film**, James Mottram (90/100, inferred): The critic hails Ad Astra as James Gray's masterpiece, driven by a career-best turn from Brad Pitt. They single out Pitt's sensational, Oscar-worthy performance and the sublime, remarkably executed visuals and set pieces for particular praise. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/ad-astra-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (80/100, inferred): The moody, mournful story of fathers and sons balances a harrowing otherworldly trek with an interior psychological journey. It comes together in the final stretch with sad grandiosity and a lovely score. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-08-30/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt-tommy-lee-jones) - **Radio Times**, Terry Staunton (4/5): The critic calls it a thrill-packed and thought-provoking extravagant sci-fi drama, praising Pitt's charisma and the dazzling visuals while noting philosophical questions amid the action. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-wo4q8k/ad-astra/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): James Gray's spectacular epic sends Brad Pitt on an interplanetary mission to find his missing father, with echoes of Apocalypse Now and 2001. The film offers thrilling ambition and reach as a Freudian space odyssey, though it is a little derivative. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/18/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt-tommy-lee-jones-james-gray) - **The Times**, Tom Shone (★★★★): James Gray’s strange, haunting space adventure features Brad Pitt as a stoic astronaut preoccupied with his lost father. The film shines with inventive sound design felt through vibrations and strong performances from Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt-and-tommy-lee-jones-shine-in-a-haunting-curious-space-adventure-8sd9vb5f6) - **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): The critic commends the gorgeous, soulful sci-fi that marries heart and spectacle, highlighting Pitt's strong performance and its meaningful reflections on fathers, sons and reconciling with the past. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ad-astra) - **Empire**, John Nugent (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's beautiful, realistic depiction of space and plausible world-building while noting it is a meditative exploration of father-son abandonment issues. They single out the well-staged adventure set pieces and existential themes for praise but note a dip in pace and occasionally maudlin narration. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ad-astra/) - **Film Comment**, Jonathan Romney (70/100, inferred): Gray's ambitious sci-fi balances cosmic spectacle and intimate father-son reckoning through Brad Pitt's restrained astronaut on a journey to Neptune. The film mixes visual invention with emotional depth but remains oddly earnest and occasionally preposterous. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/film-of-the-week-ad-astra/) - **Screen Daily** (70/100, inferred): The critic describes a spectacular, intellectually sophisticated interior journey anchored by Pitt's pained melancholy performance, praising suspense sequences and father-son themes while noting it is more meditative than rollicking adventure. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/ad-astra-venice-review/5142239.article) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (Critic's Pick): The film is a sincere if sometimes dopey confessional about fathers and sons that takes the form of an inward space journey. It explores the burdens of masculinity through skilled men who achieve public success at personal cost. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/movies/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt.html) - **Vulture** (70/100, inferred): The film is eerily beautiful and steeped in the protagonist's psyche, with thrilling sequences and strong sound design. It reduces to a simplistic father-son story at the end, though the humanist message and visuals are compelling. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/09/ad-astra-movie-review-its-all-brad-pitt.html) - **Evening Standard**, David Sexton (55/100, inferred): The critic finds Ad Astra so nearly a heroic masterpiece but ultimately uninvolving and a touch silly. They single out Brad Pitt's repressed, stoical performance for praise while complaining about the heavy-handed script, clunky dialogue and ponderous voiceover that leave the film emotionally flat despite strong visuals. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/ad-astra-review-brad-pitts-sci-fi-epic-is-so-nearly-a-heroic-masterpiece-a4242121.html) - **Sight and Sound**, Jessica Kiang (50/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's visual and aural spectacle, majestic cinematography and elegant filmmaking but criticizes the clumsy dialogue, redundant narration and the narrative's focus on one man's daddy issues at the expense of broader stakes. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt-bestrides-stars-darkly) - **Financial Times**, Nigel Andrews (40/100, inferred): James Gray’s space adventure has moments of wonder but too much weighty rumination, with psychological platitude and Oedipal cliché. There are wonderful sequences like a lunar car chase, but they cannot hide the attractive clutter and empty cliché. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/5749b9bc-d92e-11e9-8f9b-77216ebe1f17) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Sheri Linden (30/100, inferred): The film orbits unsteadily between art film and action thriller. Pitt's subtle, close-up performance draws power from stillness, but the movie often feels adrift in a suspense-free void with unnecessary voiceover. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/ad-astra-review-1233364/) - **HeyUGuys**, Linda Marric (5/5): James Gray delivers a complex, soul-shaking existential adventure disguised as mainstream sci-fi, anchored by Brad Pitt’s career-best performance as a man tormented by loss and grief. It is a true cinematic masterpiece that explores humanity’s place in the universe through allegories and symbolism. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/ad-astra-review/) - **The Skinny**, Joseph Walsh (5/5): Gray focuses on human drama and emotional intimacy amid spectacular space imagery, with Pitt excelling in a low-key portrayal of an emotionally fractured man confronting daddy issues. The film offers heart alongside spectacle and reminds viewers of the power of hope and forgiveness. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/ad-astra) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A-): The critic praises the film as a powerful, profound emotional and cerebral experience centered on alienation and loneliness in space. They single out Brad Pitt's quiet, thoughtful, career-best performance for its internal depth and restraint. [Read](https://collider.com/ad-astra-review/) - **/Film**, Josh Spiegel (9/10): A thoughtful, riveting character study and one of the best films of 2019, with Brad Pitt delivering his best performance in years as an astronaut on a haunting journey. Gray blends emotional depth with epic sci-fi visuals in a rare adult-oriented genre film. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/569114/ad-astra-review/) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film gripping, jaw-dropping and ethereal, an introspective character-driven journey that echoes classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey. Pitt's performance anchors the cerebral sci-fi as a man venturing into unknown physical and emotional spaces. [Read](https://deadline.com/video/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt-movie-james-gray/) - **Digital Spy**, Ian Sandwell (85/100, inferred): Pitt delivers one of his finest performances in this thrilling, thought-provoking space journey that stands apart with its realistic vision and emotional focus. Gray crafts a satisfying emotional conclusion alongside big-screen spectacle and provocative ideas. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a28910322/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt-meaning/) - **Polygon**, Matt Patches (85/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a rapturous journey that translates the draw of space into heart-racing spectacle while interrogating human ambition and desire. They single out the synthesis of philosophy, interstellar wonder, and Brad Pitt's commanding presence for praise. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/2019/9/20/20875672/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt/) - **The Wrap** (80/100, inferred): The review calls the film remarkably stylish and fascinating, a family saga that deconstructs the male hero through an astronaut's quest for his father. It singles out the immersive cinematography and complex performances by Pitt and Jones for praise. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/ad-astra-film-review-brad-pitt-tommy-lee-jones/) - **Den of Geek**, Don Kaye (3.5/5): Gray delivers a cerebral, visually inventive sci-fi that uses vast space as backdrop for one man's personal inward journey, anchored by Pitt's superbly restrained performance. It earns a place among thoughtful adult sci-fi but lacks the emotional connection for true transcendence. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/ad-astra-review-brad-pitt/) - **Film Stories**, Dan Cooper (70/100, inferred): The film blends smart sci-fi with blockbuster elements and strong performances, particularly from Brad Pitt, while echoing New Hollywood existential themes. It retains some accessibility without fully committing to a deeply cerebral path. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/ad-astra-review/) - **The Playlist**, Rodrigo Perez (B+/A-): An ambitious, esoteric interstellar odyssey about humanity’s place in the cosmos and self-discovery, with a strong, unshowy performance from Pitt and beautiful visuals. It is grandly cinematic and thematically rich, even if remote for some tastes. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/ad-astra-brad-pitt-venice-review-20190829/) - **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (40/100, inferred): Visually stunning in places but weighed down by excessive voiceover and platitudes about daddy issues that undermine the script. Pitt’s nuanced performance saves it, though Gray struggles to balance the personal and the spectacular. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/search/title/Ad%20Astra) ## Details - **Director:** James Gray - **Director:** James Gray - **Screenplay:** James Gray, Ethan Gross - **Cinematography:** Hoyte van Hoytema - **Editor:** John Axelrad, Lee Haugen - **Music:** Max Richter - **Production design:** Kevin Thompson - **Costume design:** Albert Wolsky - **Producer:** James Gray, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner - **Cast:** Brad Pitt as Roy McBride; Tommy Lee Jones as H. Clifford McBride; Liv Tyler as Eve; Ruth Negga as Helen Lantos; Donald Sutherland as Thomas Pruitt; Kimberly Elise as Lorraine Deavers; Loren Dean as Donald Stanford; Donnie Keshawarz as Captain Lawrence Tanner - **Runtime:** 2h 03m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 20 September 2019 - **Genres:** Science Fiction, Drama - **Budget:** $88 million - **Box office:** $127 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsCNKuB93BA ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $19.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-17.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2020: Best Sound (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Solaris* (1972): For patient science fiction that lets grief complicate the business of exploration - *First Man* (2018), Fi1m 80: Another restrained astronaut, with grief pressing against the demands of the job — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/first-man.md) - *Paris, Texas* (1984), Fi1m 88: For another withdrawn man whose family troubles become painfully clear through small gestures — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paris-texas.md) - *Still Walking* (2008): Family disappointment and unspoken grief, observed during a visit home rather than across space - *Moon* (2009), Fi1m 83: A more contained lunar drama, equally interested in the cost of being alone — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/moon.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/ad-astra