Release Date
August 27, 1999
Director
Rand Ravich
Writer
Rand Ravich
Cast
Dawn Landon, Conrad Bachmann, Tom Noonan, Donna Murphy, Joe Morton, Clea DuVall, Nick Cassavetes, Blair Brown, Johnny Depp, Charlize Theron
Studio
Running Time
109 minutes
MPA Rating
Rated R for violence, language, and a strong scene of sexuality
What is The Astronaut's Wife about?
A woman suspects that her husband, an astronaut, has been possessed by an alien presence as he continues to act strangely after a strange incident in the space shuttle.... Full synopsis »
MOVIE REVIEW
Beautiful Charlize Theron is The Astronaut's Wife, but her short hair isn't the only problem in this drab and boring "sci-fi" movie. Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands) co-stars as "the astronaut" who apparently becomes possessed with an alien entity after a sudden accident in space. Possess is not the word, though. Sure, his attitude changes slightly but there is not enough character progression before the accident to determine what's different. He maintains all of his memories and everything and the only thing that seems wrong is that Theron thinks something is wrong with her husband. She tells us, and shows us through emotion, but this is a movie. The movie has to show us! Furthermore, there is hardly any conflict within the story. Depp's character suddenly changes over from the caring husband to the ambitious monster near the end of the film without any reason or purpose, and, up until that point, Theron has put up with him. After that, there is a pointless murder and the couple suddenly develop what seems to be a psychic link, but there is no development in that part of the script. Full movie review »
