"tells a story about finding something worth living for and pushing oneself out of any comfort zone by taking inspiration from real events"

If you are looking for a story celebrating the father of meteorology and a discovery of how pressure, air and humidity are involved in changing the weather, The Aeronauts is not that kind of film, it is a story about pushing boundaries, conquering fears and fighting for progress when no one believes in you.

The film focuses on the real voyage that Dr. James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) made in a hot balloon to discover the science behind weather and if it was going to be possible to forecast it as well as breaking the record for highest ascent above sea level. In his most memorable expedition Glaisher was always accompanied by a copilot, however in The Aeronauts, the fictional character of Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) is added to accompany the scientist on his most ambitious trip.

Of course if this was going to be a movie about science it would have lost the alluring quality of a feature film and become just a documentary. However, none of the scientific aspects make it to the screen, leaving the audience with a metaphorical film about life’s journey and mankind’s need to put order to Nature’s chaos and unpredictability.

With this film Tom Hopper gives a voice to two characters (one invented the other one really existed in history) as they try to prove to themselves that they are more than other people give them credit for. Their need to get out of the ordinary and prove their worth pushes them to push their limits and strive towards the extraordinary. Hopper found a story that allows that to happen while hiding a double meaning behind the mission.

In The Aeronauts both Amelia and James are fighting their demons; Glaisher needs to be taken seriously by the society of scientist who are constantly mocking his work. Amelia Wren needs to stop feeling guilty over her husband’s death during one of their expeditions. The two of them could not be more different but at the same time similar to one another.

Both stubborn and headstrong, they have different methods when forced to face adversity. Amelia is free spirited but responsible. The worlds for her at the time,  she is there to carve for herself a space in a world that only sees her as a wife or a mother. Glaisher is methodical, a man of science who needs to find all the answers. He doesn’t accept setbacks and his ready to risk his life. Both of them however share the need to be part of something bigger than them, something that will push humanity forward.

The audience gets to know these characters throughout the film since the timeline is not linear and there are a few time jumps between the expedition and the preparation and planning for the voyage.

Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones are once again united on screen after The Theory Of Everything, their chemistry on screen is still good and it works perfectly with the dynamic of the story. The affection and respect between Amelia and James grows as the journey unfolds, the expedition becomes dangerous and in the end they both learn to trust one another. Both actors’ performance is impeccable and credible throughout the movie without missing a beat.

Thanks to the performance, the interesting plot and the music, The Aeronauts is a visually pleasing and entertaining movie that can help the audience switching off from reality for a couple of hours. It’s a film that tells a story about finding something worth living for and pushing oneself out of any comfort zone by taking inspiration from real events.