The Right Stuff (1983)

Ebert calls the film one of the best recent American movies for its ambitious scope blending adventure, satire and social commentary, and for its strong performances that announce Kaufman's arrival as a major director.

The critic calls Kaufman's epic stirring and dynamic, noting how it ties the astronauts' quests for glory and personal fulfillment to the thrill of pushing limits and the fear of being second best. Special admiration is reserved for Yeager as the true pioneer, with the film blending irony, humor, and poignancy in its portrayal of the space race.

The review lauds Kaufman's adaptation for its subversive, ironic take on hero-making and the space program, preserving the irreverent tone of Wolfe's book while celebrating the astronauts' bravery and Yeager's quiet heroism. It highlights the film's blend of intimacy, grandeur, and revisionist history as one of the decade's richest achievements.

Philip Kaufman's 1983 film is a terrific historical drama about the early US space race and Mercury Seven astronauts, accurately reflective of complex reality while being beautifully filmed with wit, energy and balance. It singles out the authentic portrayal of test pilot Chuck Yeager and the pressures on the astronauts for particular praise.

The critic praises the film as a vivid and personal American epic that humanizes the Mercury astronauts and test pilots through their training, risks, and family struggles. Philip Kaufman's script and direction are credited for balancing heroism with toughness and humor while showcasing spectacular flight footage.

Canby describes the adaptation as a rousing, funny film that is probably the brightest and best rookie/cadet movie ever made, singling out Sam Shepard's Yeager as the commanding figure and the remarkably convincing flight footage.

The review calls the film a humdinger full of beauty, intelligence and excitement that provides a fresh, entertaining look at the US space program, noting it tells its three-hour tale lickety-split under Kaufman's direction.

Benson praises the brash, beautiful and deeply American film for its high-spirited combination of New Journalism style with movie resources, highlighting Sam Shepard's charismatic Yeager and the seamless extraordinary flying footage.

The film is a modern Western celebrating quiet virtue and heroism as test pilots and astronauts reach for the skies. Kaufman matches John Ford in his respectful poetic treatment of the subject while acknowledging the surrounding media circus.

The film lacks a clear directorial voice but captures the moral ambiguity of the book, creating tension and making viewers root for multiple characters. It remains compelling thanks to its inherent drama, photography and score.

The critic finds the film a stirring, enjoyable mess that captures Kaufman’s enthusiasm for the subject and moviemaking. She singles out the lyrical heavenly flight sequences and strong cast performances, especially Ed Harris as John Glenn, for praise while noting structural weaknesses and a lack of coherence.

None of the other NASA films matches the sprawling and intimately compelling quality of this epic; it stands as the premier cinematic account thanks to its docudrama approach and detailed character-driven ensemble. The film balances epic scope and technical spectacle with intimate storytelling focused on the astronauts and their wives.

The film is the most influential movie ever made about astronauts and established the modern template for respectable history-based astronaut movies. It makes high-speed flight and space travel feel genuinely dangerous while highlighting the pilots' dedication and bravery.

Philip Kaufman's dazzling adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s book is a crowded three-hour epic with 134 speaking parts. Shepard projects a quieter kind of cockiness in his Oscar-nominated role as Chuck Yeager, turning the sound-barrier breaker into the strong, silent type and delivering an indelible image of frontier heroism.