As if to validate the premise of his new film "Space Cowboys", Clint Eastwood's NASA engineer Frank Corvin rationalizes "Hell, you sent Glenn up there." Apparently, the septuagenarian astronaut's recent return trip to space should be enough for a suspension of disbelief of this proportion: Frank and his former flight team, now well into Senior Citizenship, must make a trip into outer space. Actually, that part of the film is perfectly believable, and a lot of fun too. It's the remainder of the plot that falls short. The film flirts with the idea of making the aging Satellite that the boys must save before it comes crashing down to Earth an analogy for the aging astronauts themselves (it seems that Frank and his team are the only ones who remember the archaic navigation system that has failed on the satellite).
Unfortunately, the script piles on one too many plot contrivances to make the boys indispensable to the mission. And it never follows through with a real exploration of Senior Citizens as valuable members of society. Also, there are several plotlines that are just dropped. Sure, Frank's team are able to pass the physical challenges of space travel, but there is really little doubt about it in the film. Plus, the actual challenge they need to face on the mission is predictable and uninspired.
But the film is not about old men in space, it's about Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland and James Garner in space. And the film succeeds based completely on the talents and appeal of these four elder statesmen. Mr. Sutherland and Mr. Garner are fun, if one-note, sidekicks - Mr. Garner as the bumbling minister, and Mr. Sutherland as the dirty old spaceman. Tommy Lee Jones really shines are Mr. Eastwood's pilot, best friend and the only character given any real development. It reminds us how wonderful an actor he can be when he's not chasing fugitives. Also, compared to his cast mates, he comes off here like a spring chicken. Mr. Eastwood himself again projects his patented brand of squinting emotion. At this point he could play this character in his sleep. And after undertaking the roles of Director and Producer as well as leading man, Mr. Eastwood could probably use forty winks. At times he even seems to be out of breath delivering his lines.
Oh yes, and there's also a love interest and an odd conspiracy subplot featuring James Cromwell as an amoral NASA project manager. The able cast handles this all pretty well and keeps the tone light, but there is little for them to do. Too often it feels like the film is going through the motions. And maybe these characters have been around the block so often that they've seen it all. We have too, but it's still fun to see it again with this cast at the helm.
