Adam Sandler’s latest Netflix movie Spaceman has divided critics, resulting in a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score. Spaceman stars Sandler as a lonely cosmonaut named Jakub in another notable dramatic performance. Some of Sandler’s previous “serious” works include Uncut Gems, Punch-Drunk Love, and Hustle. Sandler leads a small but impressive cast in Spaceman that includes Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan as Jakub’s pregnant wife Lenka and Emmy nominee Paul Dano as the voice of a friendly arachnid extraterrestrial named Hanuš.
Spaceman was released exclusively on Netflix on Friday, March 1, 2024, the same day that the highly-anticipated Dune: Part Two was released in theaters. The two “space” movies couldn’t be more unlike each other, with Dune 2 already being hailed as a sci-fi masterpiece and Spaceman for the most part being considered a cosmic misfire. The new Netflix movie is based on the 2017 novel “Spaceman of Bohemia” by Jaroslav Kalfar and directed by Johan Renck of Chernobyl, Breaking Bad, and Bloodline acclaim.
Was Hanus Real? Paul Dano’s Talking Spider In Spaceman Explained
Paul Dano’s talking arachnid creature is the most unforgettable aspect of Spaceman and has a major impact on Sandler’s Jakub whether he’s real or not.
Spaceman’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Breaks Adam Sandler’s Streak With Serious Movies
Spaceman has received mixed reviews from critics, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 51% as of its streaming release date of March 1, 2024, which has dropped to 50% as of the time of writing. Sandler has taken on more dramatic roles than ever during the last decade which have earned nearly universal critical acclaim, particularly in the Safide Brothers’ breakout hit Uncut Gems (2019) and the Netflix sports movie Hustle (2022).
In what may be surprising to some, Hustle is the highest-rated movie of Sandler’s entire career, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%. Uncut Gems, which some consider to be Sandler’s most impressive and transformative performance, is close behind at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. Sandler has still procured his usual slate of no-brainer comedies in recent years as well, but hopes were high for Spaceman, which broke his impressive streak in dramas on Rotten Tomatoes with a disappointing score of 50%.
Spaceman Ending Explained: What Happened To Jakub?
The ambiguous ending of Spaceman leaves Jakub on a personal high note after a cerebral, life-changing experience in the mysterious Chopra Cloud.
Is Spaceman Adam Sandler’s Worst Dramatic Movie?
With the talented cast and director behind Spaceman, the film should have theoretically landed more positively with critics. Instead, Spaceman now ranks among the lowest tier of Sandler’s dramatic works, which also include Punch-Drunk Love (79% on Rotten Tomatoes), Reign Over Me (64%), Funny People (69%), and The Meyerowitz Stories (92%). By comparison alone, Spaceman is arguably the worst “serious” film that Sandler has starred in, but considering how poorly rated some of Sandler’s comedies are (The Ridiculous 6 – 0%, Jack and Jill – 3%, Grown Ups – 10%), it is far from his worst movie overall.
Spaceman
Spaceman is a sci-fi drama starring Adam Sandler and directed by Chernobyl director Johan Renck. The film, based on the book Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfař, follows Jakub Procházka who goes on a solo mission to space and encounters a mysterious creature as he begins to lose touch with reality.
- Director
- Johan Renck
- Release Date
- March 1, 2024
- Studio(s)
- Free Association , Tango Entertainment
- Distributor(s)
- Netflix
- Writers
- Colby Day
- Cast
- Adam Sandler , Paul Dano , Carey Mulligan , Kunal Nayyar , Lena Olin , Isabella Rossellini
- Runtime
- 107 Minutes
- Where To Stream
- Netflix
