In Project Hail Mary, Earth’s sun is being consumed by a mysterious substance, and the world must come together to figure out how to save humanity. An international team led by Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) is attempting to tackle the crisis, but time and funds are limited, so out-of-the-box thinking is necessary.

Enter our unlikely hero, Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a middle school science teacher with expertise well beyond his current role. 

When we first meet Grace, he awakens on an interstellar ship lightyears from home, realizing he alone might be humanity’s only hope for survival. But everything changes when he encounters an alien being and realizes that connection, collaboration, and compassion could be the real key to saving all life.

Project Hail Mary hits a perfect balance between sci-fi, humor, and heart. We get the enormous scale of space, with some stunning cinematography from Greig Fraser, but also an intimate story grounded in emotion, due in large part to a phenomenal performance from Gosling. 

The vast majority of this film rests entirely on his shoulders, and he brings such effortless charisma to the role that you immediately root for Grace and feel like you’re right there with him, trying to problem-solve his way out of every complication. 

It feels like we’re lightyears away from the days when people used to claim Gosling didn’t really act but rather let the audience project their emotions onto his blank expression. We’ve seen him deliver drama and comedy in recent films, and he does both incredibly well here. 

His dry delivery in some of the humorous scenes is a major highlight—not surprising, given that Project Hail Mary is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who have major comedy chops. 

The supporting cast also generates laughs. Lionel Boyce as Carl, one of Grace’s government handlers, has hilarious line delivery. Hüller, who is primarily known for weighty dramatic work, is also able to use the inherent no-nonsense qualities of her character to great comedic effect. 

The science stays grounded, allowing the story to feel real while leaving room to focus on larger themes of hope and connection. Similar to The Martian, also written by Andy Weir and adapted by Drew Goddard, the science in Project Hail Mary feels just complicated enough to make it believable, but never overwhelming. 

This also opens the door for a Spielberg-like sense of wonder, reminiscent of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial or Jurassic Park. The blending of sci-fi and sentiment works wonders here, bringing us along the journey with Grace and his alien companion, and filling us with a sense of hope and optimism that feels so needed right now.