I recently watched Channing Tatum’s new historical romantic comedy Fly Me to the Moon, which reminded me of why I love him and made me even more excited to watch his upcoming August 2024 movie. Fly Me to the Moon earned Tatum his career-second-best Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score. I personally rated the movie 4.5 stars on Letterboxd, where it currently holds an average rating of 3.2. In contrast, Fly Me to the Moon’s Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score is a strong 89%, far surpassing its 66% Tomatometer rating.

While Fly Me To The Moon received mixed reviews, Channing Tatum’s performance is undeniable. I’ve been a fan of him for years, but I’ll admit, I don’t always rush to the theaters to see a Channing Tatum movie. While I was skeptical about Fly Me To The Moon, I went to see it because it stars Tatum and Scarlett Johansson. Fortunately, I wasn’t disappointed. Between Tatum and Johansson’s performances, the entertaining script, and the amazing Fly Me to the Moon soundtrack, I had a great time at the theater.

Fly Me To The Moon Brings Channing Tatum Back To A Genre That Made Him A Star

Fly Me To The Moon Is A Romantic Comedy

Channing Tatum made his film debut in 2005 as part of the cast of the biographical sports drama Coach Carter. The following year, Tatum had a breakthrough year with the romantic films She’s the Man and Step Up, which were released within 6 months of each other. Though She’s the Man is a romantic comedy and Step Up is a romantic drama, the movies showed romance is the perfect genre for Tatum, and it’s what made him a star.

It also made Tatum, who was 26 at the time, a heartthrob. Both movies showed off his athleticism and toned body, with him playing a soccer player in She’s the Man and a dancer in Step Up. This has continued throughout his career, with him being named the “Sexiest Man Alive” by People Magazine in 2012, the same year the first Magic Mike movie premiered. Still, Tatum hasn’t just skated by on his looks, as his acting talent is what keeps me coming back to his movies, particularly his romantic films.

Part of what makes Tatum so good at romantic comedies is his seemingly effortless ability to create chemistry with his costars. Tatum and Johansson have great chemistry in Fly Me to the Moon, which helps make the movie so entertaining and intriguing. The same can be said for Step Up (in which he co-starred with ex-wife Jenna Dewan), She’s the Man, and more. Channing Tatum’s return to romance movies in recent years, with movies like The Lost City and Fly Me To The Moon, is great news for his future filmography.

Channing Tatum Gives One Of His Best Performances In Fly Me To The Moon

Channing Tatum Shows Off His Acting Range As Cole Davis

Fly Me to the Moon is a great romantic comedy, and it offers one of Channing Tatum’s best performances to date. As aforementioned, Tatum and Johansson have electric chemistry from the first time they meet all the way through Fly Me to the Moon’s ending. Even when Cole and Kelly (Johansson) are at odds, their connection is palpable, and that’s a credit to both actors. However, it’s not just the romance and comedy parts that Tatum absolutely nails in the movie.

Tatum also gives a strong emotional performance in Fly Me to the Moon, effectively capturing Cole Davis’ PTSD from the failed Apollo 1 mission. Tatum might be best known for his romantic comedies, action movies, and somewhat guilty pleasure movies like the Magic Mike trilogy, but Fly Me to the Moon proves he has great range as an actor. This shouldn’t be surprising given Tatum’s best Rotten Tomatoes score is for 2022’s Dog, in which he plays an Army Ranger. The movie also has an emotional throughline, even with its comedy.

Channing Tatum’s Next Movie Is Completely Different From Fly Me To The Moon

Channing Tatum Is Going To Play A Villain

Fortunately for Channing Tatum fans like myself, the actor already has his next movie lined up. Blink Twice is set to be released in theaters on August 23, 2024. However, unlike the movies I’ve been praising throughout this article, it won’t be a romance movie. Rather, it’s a thriller. With its lack of romance, it’s ironically also the directorial debut of his reported fiancée Zöe Kravitz. This isn’t Tatum’s first thriller, as his 2013 psychological thriller movie, Side Effects, received positive reviews and performed well at the box office.

Over 10 years later, Tatum gets to flex his thriller skills again with Blink Twice. Admittedly, I’m not much of a thriller fan, but Fly Me to the Moon and Tatum’s performance have convinced me to push past my scaredy-cat instincts and head to the theaters for Blink Twice. Almost 20 years into his acting career, it’s about time that Tatum’s talent and range get the praise it deserves. Fly Me to the Moon will hopefully help people open their eyes and see Channing Tatum as more than a heartthrob, and Blink Twice could really drive that home.

Sources: Letterboxd, Rotten Tomatoes, People Magazine, Rotten Tomatoes