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Parents' Guide to

Lucy in the Sky

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Woman loses her grip in fact-based drama with sex, language.

Movie R 2019 124 minutes
Lucy in the Sky Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

Based loosely on the life story of Lisa Nowak, the notorious former astronaut who drove 900 miles nonstop to confront a romantic rival, LUCY IN THE SKY chronicles the downfall of Lucy Cola (Natalie Portman) after she returns from a mission. Hard driving and competitive, all Lucy thinks about at first is getting back up in space, particularly when her competitive nature is sparked by fellow female astronaut Erin Eccles (Zazie Beetz). But when Lucy begins an affair with Mark (Jon Hamm), suddenly the supportive love her husband, Drew (Dan Stevens), provides just isn't enough, and her ordinary life starts feeling like a trap. As Lucy's existence grows steadily more unbearable, she makes more and more mistakes -- finally ending up on one mission that will change her life forever.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
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Kids say (1 ):

This "astronaut on the verge of a nervous breakdown" drama is fitfully compelling, but ultimately it's too long and doesn't effectively close the loop, message-wise. Is Lucy in the Sky a drama about a female astronaut facing sexism and marginalization at work by men who term her hysterical? A horror story about a woman who's losing her grip due to sexual jealousy? A cautionary fable about the pressures of NASA and the potential for "space crazies"? As we watch Portman slowly lose her grip -- and she does so sympathetically, audiences will have to admit -- we're not really reached by her anguish, because it's unclear exactly what it's about. Some may argue that Lisa Nowak, the former astronaut whose tumultuous life story forms the basis for this film, never really spelled out exactly why she committed her notorious crime -- but shouldn't a movie about just that nail down the main character's reasoning? Or else what is a movie about it for?

No matter. Director Noah Hawley, best known for his work on another true-crime-adjacent drama, Fargo, creates cinematic magic at times. As Lucy dreams about returning to space and obsessively remembers the time she spent there, beautiful imagery of stars, clouds, and silent Lucy in her suit casts a dreamlike spell. But that's not enough to carry viewers through Lucy's long breakdown. It's curious, too, that Hawley added a daughter-ish figure to the story -- it's unduly cruel that she's dragged along on Lucy's devilish drive and then apparently abandoned by her aunt forever (though her uncle by marriage thankfully seems to take her in). It's just one more puzzling choice in a movie that's full of them.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Lucy in the Sky depicts space travel. Does it seem realistic? Which parts feel authentic -- or fake?

  • Did you know that the film is based on a real-life astronaut who was arrested in 2007? Do you find that surprising? How accurate do you think it is? Why might filmmakers change the facts in a story based on true events?

  • The director uses camera tricks to show Lucy's state of mind -- notice how the camera's field of depth widens expansively when she's feeling optimistic and closes down to a small space when she's stressed. Would you have noticed this change if you hadn't been told to take a look? What does the change communicate visually?

  • Do any of the characters in Lucy in the Sky show courage and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

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