Spaceman, the latest Adam Sandler movie that isn’t an “Adam Sandler movie,” has reached for the stars on Netflix for nearly a week now, and while the reviews have been less than stellar, know that it’s nevertheless a great watch for those partial to “sad dad sci-fi,” as a dear friend of mine put it.
It also serves as another top-notch showcase for Paul Dano’s voice acting chops, which he uses to bring Hanuš the giant spider-therapist to life in the film, and the strangeness of the character in a movie as meditative as Spaceman has, of course, caused some to wonder whether the arachnid was a figment of the main character’s imagination or not.
Speaking recently to Radio Times, Spaceman helmsman Johan Renck offered his own thoughts on the debate, which are about what you’d expect from a film director:
“I’ve shown this film to friends, some people think that Hanuš is real, some people think that Hanuš is a figment of Jakub’s imagination and his inner monologue, you know, so to speak… It’s like, yeah, whatever floats your boat, man, there is no truth to these matters. It’s like reading a book, listening to a song, or reading a poem, whatever. It’s like, it’s what… your own experiences will guide how you take in the film, basically.”
It’s always obviously up to interpretation, and as the director, Renck taking one side or the other would kill Spaceman’s potential for whatever curious readings may have otherwise sprung up from the opposite side, so neutrality is a commendable stance in this case.
Personally, I read Hanuš as a real entity for many reasons, most of which I won’t get into here at the risk of turning this piece into a Greek epic, but just know that there’s something to be said about a creature who’s both introducing a human to the true expanse of the unknown universe, and saying words like “germapods” without a hint of mirth in his voice.
(featured image: Netflix)
Published: Mar 8, 2024 02:03 pm