Johnny Depp was growing from indie darling into the mainstream in the mid to late '90s. Mix that with a young Charlize Theron breaking through with the fantastic DEVILS ADVOCATE (though I'll always love her in 2 DAYS IN THE VALLEY), and you get a sure-fire hit with THE ASTRONAUT'S WIFE (WATCH IT HERE – OWN IT HERE). Which tells the following story:
After an explosion in space and subsequent two-minute radio-out period, two astronauts return home to their wives. Slightly it's revealed that they're not the same as they were.
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Except for this big-budget thriller ($75,000,000.00, which is $117,009,903.96 in today's money) failed to ignite and did a pathetic nineteen million in worldwide gross. Of course, Deep went on to become one of the highest-paid actors with the success of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, and Charlize Theron became a household name with MONSTER, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, MEN OF HONOR, and many more.
Twenty-one years later, THE ASTRONAUT'S WIFE has been left in the past to be forgotten. Yet this slow-burn thriller has aged exceptionally well. A Hitchcockian-esq film that puts Depp as the villain while Charlize gets to steal the show, THE ASTRONAUT'S WIFE is a damn good time that makes me nostalgic for an era where suspense and patience were celebrated, and you could make a story that's character-driven with big star appeal.
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