Project Hail Mary Parent Guide

Waking up from an induced coma a dozen light-years from Earth, Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) does not remember several important things – namely, who he is, how he got there, or why he’s there. What’s immediately apparent is that his two crewmates have died on the way, and he is literally the loneliest person in the universe. After chugging down most of the alcohol he can find on the ship and settling in, his memories begin to return. 

Grace is a molecular biologist and a middle school teacher, and he’s in outer space to save the world. A microorganism is dimming Earth’s sun, as well as just about every other observable star – except the one Grace is now orbiting. It’s his task to find out why this star is thriving and send that information back to Earth in time to stop a global cooling which could eliminate life on the planet. Armed with the bare minimum of information, Grace sets about his work only to find the one thing he didn’t expect floating out in space with him: company.

The last adaptation of Andy Weir’s work, Ridley Scott’s The Martian, was phenomenal, so Project Hail Mary carries high expectations. It more than lives up to them. The film is funny, smart, endearing, and offers viewers a good time. There’s more than a passing similarity between the two stories – man stranded in space has to MacGyver his way out of mortal peril – but the films have different themes and emotional notes, so they end up feeling related without being derivative. 

I was dazzled by the quality of the writing and acting, and it took me a while to notice that I didn’t need to take any notes. There’s very little negative content in this film for parents to worry about. Some drinking, some innuendo, and some peril and catastrophe. No deliberate violence, and almost as remarkable, no profanity. Dr. Grace is a real “what the fudge” kinda guy, and even that is uncommon. Project Hail Mary is likely a little long for younger viewers at two and a half hours, but it’s very well paced and so darn interesting that I can’t even complain about it, which is hard to admit as a world-record professional complainer.

Another common element this movie shares with The Martian is the lack of an antagonist, which I like. There’s an appealing cast of characters in a desperate situation thinking their way out of their problems, instead of a long shambling argument that ends in a big fight ten minutes before the credits roll. I’m not saying there’s no place for bad guys in movies, but it sure is refreshing not to have one. Maybe if more of our movies were about teamwork and cooperation, we’d have a more peaceful world. 

About author

Keith Hawkes

Keith Hawkes graduated from Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada with a degree in English and History. His interests are movies, American literature, science fiction, almost every kind of music, and museums. He enjoys criticizing films for fun - although he's okay with being paid for it.