By Steve Crum

Of The Midnight Sky’s nearly two hour running time, George Clooney’s Augustine Lofthouse singly and brilliantly occupies over half. It is a task that speaks highly of Clooney the actor AND director. I say “singly” even though there is the inclusion of a preteen stowaway not long after the story opens. Let me clarify that he is the only one speaking. (This will be explained.) 

Clooney gives a nuanced, somber performance which comes to life during a pair of action sequences that involve blinding snow, cracking ice, and frigid water. Be aware that the blizzard shooting occurred on location in Iceland during 50-mile-per-hour winds at 40 below 0. Call it enhanced, reactionary acting. 

Mark L. Smith’s screenplay, based upon Lily Brooks-Dalton’s book, Good Morning, Midnight, tells the story of brilliant scientist  Lofthouse in 2049. He is all alone on Earth after the surviving population has space-shipped out to Jupiter’s habitable K-23 moon for survival. 

The gray bearded scientist is slowly dying, as shown by his daily health regimen. Through flashbacks of 30-plus years, we discover the young Lofthouse (Ethan Peck) had a romantic relationship with Jean Sullivan (Sophie Rundle), which ended due to choosing between career and marriage. As Lofthouse indulged in his professional passion, he became increasingly self-centered and unable to bond with other humans. Decades later, the loner is now truly alone. 

A plot turn drastically changes things when Lofthouse discovers a frightened little girl, later identified as Iris (Caoilinn Springall), hiding in his store room. Seemingly unable to speak, Iris reluctantly communicates with the old man through visual prompts like drawings and (gulp) peas. She becomes his sidekick of sorts, accompanying him throughout the Arctic structure as well as a terrifying snowmobile trip to a distant antenna shed. They grow fond of each other, and more dependent. 

Act 2 focuses on the spacecraft Aether, which is nearing the earth after being away on an exploratory mission, unaware their planet is undergoing disaster. Crew members are having their own challenges, including an asteroid shower which imperils them as well as the ship’s structure. Add to that a newly discovered pregnancy. 

It all adds up to much more than what might sound like an outer space soap opera. Earth is uninhabitable, except for dying scientist Augustine. So now what to do? Clooney, as well as the entire Aether crew, make the implausible plausible. That is a credit to their acting. Kudos to Felicity Jones as Dr. Iris “Sully” Sullivan—on board the ship, and her fellow astronauts, played by David Oyelowo, Tiffany Boone, Demián Bichir, and Kyle Chandler.  

A fine score, featuring reflective violin and piano, is by the great Alexandre Desplat. Martin Ruhe’s cinematography is stunning. 

The Midnight Sky has a heartbreaking finale preceded by grief, melancholy, regret, isolation, and repressed love. 

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GRADE on an A-F Scale: A-