The Astronaut's Wife (DVD, 2005)

Screenwriter Rand Ravich's directorial debut is a mix of science fiction, psychological thriller & mild horror. The main plot's about NASA astronauts, Commander Spencer Armacost (Johnny Depp) & Captain Alex Streck (Nick Cassavetes) return to Earth from a space shuttle mission that required both astronauts to make a repair outside of the shuttle. While Armacost & Streck are out in space, there's an explosion & they that lost contact with NASA for 2 minutes. Whatever occured, significantly changes both guys. It changes them mentally, how they behave with their wives, Jillian Armacost (Charlize Theron) & Natalie Streck (Donna Murphy) & not only threatens to destroy their own lives, but those in their lives, as well.

Seizure-like episodes begin to over-take the older Capt. Streck. His wife, Natalie is more than suspicious about her husband's medical & psychological states. As Capt. Streck becomes increasingly worse, Natalie questions Armacost's wife, Jillian, about what shape he's in. Both wives question what happened to change their husbands during those 2 minutes in outer space.

It's Armacost's strange behavior gradually increasing that builds the most significant tension & suspense. The supernatural suggestions are more science fiction than horror, until one of the astronauts goes over the edge.

"The Astronaut's Wife," is magnificently played by Charlize Theron as Jillian, Depp's wife, in her first leading role. It's their life together that is the main focus of the flick. Her role in "The Astronaut's Wife" is complex. She characterizes Jillian Armacost as a wife who is involved in violent, tragic, sexual & grief laden circumstances. The movie takes Jillian's perspective rather than her husband's.

I shant reveal any more of the story, at this point. However, I don't agree with the poor ratings this movie's critics have given. My theory about that is Johnny Depp is clearly 'the big star' in the show, so viewer's might expect more from his character than Theron's. That something supernatural happened to the astronaut suggests that Armacost & Streck ought to reveal what it was, at some point. Instead of focusing on the men's perspectives, Ravich's story is conveyed through the lens of the astronaut's wife. Thus, the story's not supposed to be about what happened to the guys; it's about what happened to their wives, in particular, Jillian Armacost.

Perhaps Depp's fans (like me) were not ready to witness Theron steal the show from him! I feel that's what makes it work.