--- title: "Lucy in the Sky" year: 2019 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/lucy-in-the-sky" fi1m_id: "lucy-in-the-sky" imdb_id: "tt4682804" tmdb_id: 340104 wikidata_id: "Q60049818" fi1m_score: 44 critics_score: 41 critics_reviews: 20 published: "2026-09-27T09:13:26.821551+00:00" updated: "2026-09-27T09:13:32.122742+00:00" region: "SA" 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." --- # Lucy in the Sky (2019) Directed by Noah Hawley · 2h 05m · Drama, Thriller, Romance ## Identity Lucy in the Sky - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/lucy-in-the-sky - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** lucy-in-the-sky - **IMDb ID:** tt4682804 - **TMDB ID:** 340104 - **Wikidata ID:** Q60049818 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4682804/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/340104, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60049818 **Fi1m score: 44** · Critics 41 from 20 reviews *In a sentence:* Natalie Portman goes to space, comes back, and the aspect ratio has the breakdown on her behalf > Natalie Portman gives a tight, careful performance as an astronaut who cannot fit back into her life, and Noah Hawley buries it under a picture frame that keeps changing shape. The idea is sound; the film spends two hours getting in its way. ## Synopsis Lucy Cola (Natalie Portman) is an astronaut on a spacewalk, hanging off the station with the Earth turning beneath her, when she is called back inside. She comes home to her husband Drew Cola (Dan Stevens), to Blue Iris (Pearl Amanda Dickson) and to her grandmother Nana Holbrook (Ellen Burstyn), who swears at everyone. Lucy wants a seat on the next mission, and she wants it more than anything on the ground. Frank Paxton (Colman Domingo) runs the programme and has his doubts; Erin Eccles (Zazie Beetz), younger and eager, wants the same seat. Mark Goodwin (Jon Hamm), a veteran who has been up several times, takes Lucy for a drink, and then for more than a drink, while the debriefs and the family dinners go on around her. ## Review Noah Hawley made his name in television, on *Fargo* and [*Legion*](https://film.one/tv/legion), bending familiar material until it looked new. *Lucy in the Sky* is his first film for the cinema and it tries the same trick with an astronaut. Lucy Cola (Natalie Portman) spends a stretch in orbit, comes home, and finds that the house, the husband and the supermarket have shrunk while she was away. The story is loosely drawn from a real case, with the names changed and most of the detail with them. It is a decent idea, and not, over 125 minutes, a decent film; the reasons are visible inside the first ten. The opening is the best of it. Polly Morgan shoots the spacewalk in a wide, quiet frame, Lucy hanging off the station with the curve of the Earth beneath her, and for those few minutes we felt what the film wants us to feel, a pull towards staying up there. Then she lands, and the picture narrows to a tall box, as if the world had put its walls back up. That is a fair thing to say once. Hawley says it for two hours. The frame widens and narrows in kitchens and car parks, and well before the halfway mark it has stopped meaning anything and started to look like a nervous habit. Regis Kimble cuts across the changes cleanly; the trouble is how many there are. Portman is good, and better than the film gives her room to be. She plays Lucy with a cropped bob, a Texan drawl and a jaw set so tight you expect to hear it, a woman who has organised every part of herself and cannot understand why the organisation is not holding. Her best scenes have no dialogue: lying awake, watching her family eat, sitting through a debrief. Hawley, Brian C. Brown and Elliott DiGuiseppi have written her several speeches about how small everything looks from up there, and each time she gives one we wished they had trusted her face instead. The people around her are sketched rather than written. Jon Hamm plays Mark Goodwin, the astronaut she takes up with, as a man who has been up more often than she has and copes by drink and charm; Hamm is easy company and the film uses him as furniture. Dan Stevens, as her husband Drew, plays mildness so thoroughly that the film seems to hold it against him. Ellen Burstyn, as Nana Holbrook, swears at everyone and gets most of the laughs. Zazie Beetz, as the younger astronaut Erin Eccles, and Colman Domingo, as Frank Paxton, who decides who flies next, each get about two scenes. Nick Offerman and Tig Notaro appear and are gone. What sinks it is that the film never settles on what is wrong with Lucy. The script offers the vertigo of having seen the Earth whole, a dull marriage, a rival for the next seat, a family history it drops, and treats each as the explanation. Jeff Russo’s score hums and pulses underneath as if it has been told a thriller is coming and is trying to keep warm. Stefania Cella’s production design gets the beige of the suburb and the strip lighting of the NASA corridors right, and Louise Frogley dresses everyone in polo shirts and khakis, so the cast looks like a company barbecue; that flatness is deliberate, and for once the film does not underline it. Then the last act turns into something we will not describe, and by then we were bored, and then embarrassed for everyone involved, because the question the film began with, how a person comes down from that, had been swapped for plot. On television Hawley has held an odd tone for ten hours and trusted the audience to keep up. Here he trusts nobody: every image is explained by a line and every line by an image. Most critics landed about where we have. See it if you will watch Portman in anything; she has done real work here. At home the widening and narrowing frame becomes a widening and narrowing letterbox on the television, which is less dramatic and something of a relief. *Fi1m score 44, published 27 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Nobody is recommending Lucy in the Sky outright. The reviews run from lukewarm to hostile, and where there is praise it lands almost entirely on Natalie Portman, whose focused, committed performance is singled out by most critics even when they think the film around her fails. A few also admire the early stretches: the opening space sequence, the seductive photography and the shifting aspect ratios. The complaints are about everything else. Most critics find Hawley’s visual flourishes showy and distracting, and several say they bury the performance they should be serving. The screenplay draws steady fire for thin characterisation, vague motivation and a final act variously described as melodramatic, campy or anticlimactic. The spread is moderate rather than wide; the kindest verdicts come from Vulture and The Guardian, which find it an engaging showcase and witty if uncertain. The AV Club is the odd one out, calling the film too restrained rather than too much. ## Straight answers **Is Lucy in the Sky worth watching?** *Lucy in the Sky* is not worth watching for most people, and we scored it 44. Natalie Portman gives a tight, careful performance as an astronaut who cannot fit back into life on the ground, but Noah Hawley buries it under a frame that keeps changing shape and a script that never decides what is wrong with her. See it only if you will watch Portman in anything. **How long is Lucy in the Sky, and what is it rated?** *Lucy in the Sky* runs 2h 05m. It is a drama and thriller film. **Where can I watch Lucy in the Sky in Saudi Arabia?** *Lucy in the Sky* is not on any streaming or rental service in Saudi Arabia at the moment. It is available in 39 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Lucy in the Sky, and is it suitable for children?** *Lucy in the Sky* is a 15 in the UK and rated R in America, and it is not suitable for children. There is little in the way of frightening or violent material as far as we can tell; the certificate reflects adult themes, an affair, strong language from Ellen Burstyn's grandmother, and a last act that turns dark. Teenagers would more likely be bored than disturbed. **What should I watch after Lucy in the Sky?** After *Lucy in the Sky*, try [*First Man*](https://film.one/film/first-man) (2018, Fi1m 80): The shrunken kitchen and the silent husband, handled in a handful of shots. Then [*A Woman Under the Influence*](https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence) (1974, Fi1m 86): Cassavetes lets a woman come apart without a single visual trick; and [*Fargo*](https://film.one/film/fargo) (2014, Fi1m 91): Hawley’s television, where the odd tone has room and the tricks earn their keep. ### Reviews we read (20) - **Vulture**, David Edelstein (65/100, inferred): Edelstein finds the film’s visual experimentation sometimes overbearing and parts of its story strained, but considers it an engaging performance showcase. He especially praises Natalie Portman’s disciplined, intensely committed portrayal of Lucy. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/10/lucy-in-the-sky-movie-review-natalie-portman-delivers.html) - **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The accessible page identifies this as a Toronto review, but the review text is behind a sign-in and paywall shell. No verdict or specific praise or complaint is visible. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/lucy-in-the-sky-toronto-review/5142846.article) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (60/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film witty and intriguing, though uncertain in how it handles its troubled protagonist. He praises its seductive cinematography and its unsettling depiction of how space changes Lucy’s view of ordinary life. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/12/lucy-in-the-sky-review-natalie-portman-orbits-a-nervous-breakdown) - **The AV Club**, A.A. Dowd (C): Dowd finds the film dull and bafflingly restrained, arguing that it removes the real story’s most sensational details. He singles out Hawley’s garish visual flourishes but says they cannot make Lucy’s domestic restlessness and romantic plot compelling. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/why-make-the-astronaut-in-a-diaper-movie-if-you-dont-wa-1838107070) - **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (55/100, inferred): Chang finds the drama botched but beguilingly strange, with its feminist perspective undermined by an anticlimactic ending. He praises Natalie Portman’s focused, nuanced performance, which remains compelling even when the filmmaking falters. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-10-03/lucy-in-the-sky-review-natalie-portman) - **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (C-): Ehrlich finds the film frustrating and dramatically shallow, arguing that it fails to explore its astronaut protagonist’s inner life. He praises the shifting aspect ratios as its most compelling creative idea, while noting that they cannot compensate for the screenplay’s lack of nuance. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/lucy-in-the-sky-review-natalie-portman-1202172827/) - **Radio Times**, Victoria Luxford (2/5): The review is negative, arguing the film’s promising premise is undermined by over-the-top antics and showy visual flourishes. It gives Natalie Portman some credit for a spirited performance, though it says she is often made to play a basic version of “unhinged.” [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-g29gg2/lucy-in-the-sky/) - **The Independent**, Clarisse Loughrey (2/5): Loughrey finds the film reductive and ultimately unable to give its story solid ground. She criticizes its unnecessary visual trickery, which often overwhelms Portman’s performance. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/lucy-in-the-sky-review-natalie-portman-lisa-nowak-astronaut-diapers-a9233526.html) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (35/100, inferred): The critic finds the film initially distinctive but increasingly conventional, with its melodramatic ending diminishing its ambitions. He praises the early visual ideas, while noting that the frequent aspect-ratio shifts can become distracting. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/lucy-sky-review-1239090/) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge (30/100, inferred): Debruge finds the film’s attempt to humanize its subject timely, but says its over-stylized direction undermines that purpose. He praises Natalie Portman’s confident performance while criticizing the film’s distracting visual flourishes and campy final act. [Read](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/lucy-in-the-sky-review-natalie-portman-1203333098/) - **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (25/100, inferred): The review finds the film a messy, heavy-handed failure that reduces its subject to a parody. It especially faults the film’s blunt handling of mental illness and its failure to examine the gendered obstacles Lucy faces. [Read](https://lwlies.com/festivals/lucy-in-the-sky-first-look-review-natalie-portman) - **Slant Magazine**, Keith Uhlich (1/4): The review finds the film sullen, trashy, and aesthetically overbearing rather than meaningful. It criticizes the screenplay’s thin, misogyny-tinged characterization, while finding a brief late shift into pulp momentarily liberating. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-lucy-in-the-sky-is-faux-high-art-made-from-lewdly-low-hanging-fruit/) - **Time Out**, Tomris Laffly (1/5): Laffly says Natalie Portman misfires in the astronaut psychodrama. The film never summons the heat of a true meltdown. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/lucy-in-the-sky) - **/Film**, Hoai-Tran Bui (5 out of 10): The review finds the film visually dazzling but ultimately empty and lacking in depth. It praises Natalie Portman’s performance while criticizing the film’s visual flourishes for failing to add meaning. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/569498/lucy-in-the-sky-review/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (C-): Goldberg finds the drama underdeveloped and its use of real events exploitative. He criticizes the visual flourishes for overshadowing Natalie Portman’s performance and the characters’ emotional lives. [Read](https://collider.com/lucy-in-the-sky-review/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (2.5/5): Crow finds the film muddled and ultimately grounded in melodrama, despite its ambitions. He praises Natalie Portman’s performance and the opening space sequence’s visual awe. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/lucy-in-the-sky-review-natalie-portman/) - **The Wrap** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an incoherent, ultimately negative portrait of a complex woman. Portman’s committed performance is singled out, but the screenplay’s vague, poorly connected motivations undermine it. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/lucy-in-the-sky-film-review-natalie-portman-noah-hawley/) - **HeyUGuys** (25/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an unfortunate mess with unclear intentions. They fault its thin central conflict and muddled narrative. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/lucy-in-the-sky-review/) - **Consequence**, Allison Shoemaker (20/100, inferred): The critic finds the film vapid, self-important, and inattentive to its protagonist. She praises Natalie Portman’s nuanced performance, while faulting the film for wasting its cast and substituting style for depth. [Read](https://consequence.net/2019/10/film-review-lucy-in-the-sky/) - **NME** (10/100, inferred): The critic finds the film hapless and profoundly unlikeable. They single out its clunky writing and one-dimensional portrayal of its woman protagonist. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/nme-tiff-lucy-sky-review-deranged-sci-fi-drama-head-clouds-2547517) ## Details - **Director:** Noah Hawley - **Director:** Noah Hawley - **Writer:** Brian C. Brown, Elliott DiGuiseppi, Noah Hawley - **Story:** Elliott DiGuiseppi, Brian C. Brown - **Cinematography:** Polly Morgan - **Editor:** Regis Kimble - **Music:** Jeff Russo - **Production design:** Stefania Cella - **Costume design:** Louise Frogley - **Producer:** Reese Witherspoon, Bruna Papandrea, Noah Hawley - **Cast:** Natalie Portman as Lucy Cola; Jon Hamm as Mark Goodwin; Zazie Beetz as Erin Eccles; Dan Stevens as Drew Cola; Ellen Burstyn as Nana Holbrook; Colman Domingo as Frank Paxton; Nick Offerman as Will Plimpton; Tig Notaro as Kate Mounier - **Runtime:** 2h 05m - **First release (Canada):** 11 September 2019 - **Genres:** Drama, Thriller, Romance - **Box office:** $481,707 - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQP-L2pJzmk ## Where to watch in Saudi Arabia Not streaming, renting or buying in Saudi Arabia at the last check. Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, IL, IT, JP, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, SE, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Proxima* (2019): A mother trains for orbit and the film stays calm; the coming-home story done properly - *First Man* (2018), Fi1m 80: The shrunken kitchen and the silent husband, handled in a handful of shots — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/first-man.md) - *A Woman Under the Influence* (1974), Fi1m 86: Cassavetes lets a woman come apart without a single visual trick — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence.md) - *Safe* (1995): Suburban beige as a slow poison; Todd Haynes trusts the frame and the face - *Fargo* (2014), Fi1m 91: Hawley’s television, where the odd tone has room and the tricks earn their keep — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/fargo.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/lucy-in-the-sky