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  • TV Review: ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2

    Nicole Kidman in 'Nine Perfect Strangers,' premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
    Nicole Kidman in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

    ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

    Released on Hulu on May 21st with the first two episodes followed by one weekly, the second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ re-introduces us to enigmatic and experimental wellness “expert” Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman), who is still finding ways to have her clients deal with their issues –– usually through the liberal application of pharmaceuticals.

    The cast this time also includes Henry Golding, Lena Olin, Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski and Murray Bartlett.

    Related Article: Hulu Orders Second Season of Mystery Thriller Series ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ With Nicole Kidman Back to star

    Initial Thoughts

    Henry Golding in 'Nine Perfect Strangers,' premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
    Henry Golding in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

    Given the chaos that enveloped the first season’s batch of clients, who showed up at a Californian retreat to be greeted by the mysterious Masha (Kidman), you might struggle to believe that anyone would want to subject themselves to her ministrations.

    Yet without that suspension of disbelief (and honestly in the word of the wealthy and emotionally desperate, there is plenty of that), Season 2 of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ really wouldn’t exist.

    It has a dramatic kin in ‘The White Lotus’ –– sharing the idea of privileged types going through experiences and (sometimes) processing trauma –– and like Mike White’s show for HBO, does rather run the risk of repeating itself.

    Script and Direction

    Dolly De Leon in 'Nine Perfect Strangers,' premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
    Dolly De Leon in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

    While Season 1 was mostly based on Liane Moriarty’s source novel, here show bosses David E. Kelley and John-Henry Butterworth branch off on their own storyline, with a similar concept but a brand new setting.

    Here, the castle-like mansion of Zauberwald, nestled in breathtaking Alpine scenery is the location for the new retreat that Masha has been curating thanks to her old friend Helena (Olin).

    While the frosty locale feels like an even more fitting background for Kidman’s chilly manipulator, the scripts can’t completely get away from the feeling that we’re treading similar ground. True, the issues are slightly different –– while Season 1 had a family mired in grief over the death of a teen, here there two different dysfunctional parent/grown child dynamics, along with a collection of other troubled souls –– but you really know a lot more what to expect this time, and the surprise is not there.

    (L to R) King Princess and Maisie Richardson-Sellers in 'Nine Perfect Strangers,' premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
    (L to R) King Princess and Maisie Richardson-Sellers in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

    It won’t surprise you to learn (though we won’t specify how) that none of the guests are there by accident, but while the trippy sequences still work to some degree, with the highlights including Murray Bartlett’s disgraced children’s TV host talking with sentient versions of his own puppets and a standout sequence exploring the tortured history of Annie Murphy’s Imogen and mother Victoria, played by Christine Baranski, there’s less of a frisson this time.

    Jonathan Levine, who was an executive producer and directed all of Season 1, returns for the lion’s share of the episodes, with Anthony Byrne also handling some. The Alpine setting does provide some visual interest, and the stark, strange castle retreat makes for a fun location. The visual language of the drug trips has also expanded in entertaining ways this season.

    Cast and Performances

    (Lto R) Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Murray Bartlett in 'Nine Perfect Strangers,' premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
    (Lto R) Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Murray Bartlett in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

    As with the first season, one of the strongest elements of the new run lies in the casting. Once you get over the idea of anyone willingly putting themselves in Masha’s hands, you can revel in several solid acting turns.

    Murray Bartlett is prime among them. Having been on the other side of the retreat coin as the nervy, stressed Armond in ‘The White Lotus’ first season, here he’s still giving excellent energy as Brian, who was effectively cancelled after raging at his staff on camera. Bartlett is so good with this type of character, bringing nuance and depth to him.

    Christine Baranski is playing a familiar role as the booze-happy Victoria, but once again her sheer ability to bring something extra to what could be a basic role is a marvel to behold. She makes for a great parent/child pairing with Annie Murphy, who channels real frustration and entitlement as Imogen, her daughter.

    Mark Strong in 'Nine Perfect Strangers,' premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
    Mark Strong in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

    In similar fashion, Mark Strong and Henry Golding make for a good pair as billionaire David and troubled son Peter, whose relationship has been fractured by David’s past infidelity to Peter’s mother. They play well off each other, even if their storyline sometimes feels like an off-the-shelf dilemma.

    Dolly DeLeon, meanwhile, is another standard as questioning nun Sister Agnes, struggling over past decisions and questioning her faith in not just her Catholic religion.

    And, of course, Kidman, who while she’s really just doing a variation on her standard icy power play, still finds sparks of humanity within Masha, especially when the show takes a further dip into her past.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Annie Murphy and Aras Aydin in 'Nine Perfect Strangers,' premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
    (L to R) Annie Murphy and Aras Aydin in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

    The second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ cannot entirely escape the feeling of déjà vu despite some fresh twists and turns. Still, the heightened reality works for the most part and the cast bring committed, watchable performances that carry this over the line.

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    What’s the plot of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2?

    Nicole Kidman returns as the enigmatic healing guru Masha in the second season, based on Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel.

    A new batch of wellness-seekers arrive at a mysterious Alpine resort of looking for transformative paths to betterment and happiness. During their stay, the guests partake in unconventional methods to reach their goals while Masha is forced to confront some past demons… Threatening to destroy both her own personal wellness, and that of her guests.

    Who stars in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2?

    • Nicole Kidman as Masha Dmitrichenko
    • Henry Golding as Peter Sharp
    • Lena Olin as Helena
    • Annie Murphy as Brian
    • Christine Baranski as Victoria
    • Lucas Englander as Martin
    • King Princess as Tina
    • Murray Bartlett as Brian
    • Dolly De Leon as Sister Agnes
    • Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Wolfie
    • Mark Strong as David Sharp
    • Aras Aydin as Matteo
    Christine Baranski in 'Nine Perfect Strangers,' premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
    Christine Baranski in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

    Other Nicole Kidman Movies and TV Shows: 

    Buy Nicole Kidman Movies on Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Spaceman’

    Adam Sandler as Jakub in 'Spaceman.'
    Adam Sandler as Jakub in ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Larry Horricks/Netflix © 2023.

    Launching on Netflix on Friday, March 1st, ‘Spaceman’ represents Adam Sandler headlining a very different sort of movie, something more along the lines of ‘Solaris’ or ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, but though it reaches for the sort of emotional and intellectual depths explored by those movies, it ends up more stifling than inspiring.

    We’ll still give Sandler credit, though, for trying something different –– which he’s been fully exploring under his deal with Netflix, hopping from the sort of broad comedy that made his cinematic name to coming-of-age stories and animated work.

    Related Article: Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan Talk Director Johan Renck’s ‘Spaceman’

    Does ‘Spaceman’ explore new frontiers?

    Adam Sandler as Jakub in 'Spaceman.'
    Adam Sandler as Jakub in ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    Though its director has gone on record to say that ‘Spaceman’ doesn’t fall within the sci-fi genre, the hallmarks are certainly there –– a space exploration mission to a mysterious cloud of particles that has dominated the Earth’s night sky for the last few years. An astronaut (though in the movie, Sandler’s Jakub Prochazka describes himself as a cosmonaut) on a mission where emotional and philosophical issues are discussed. An alien creature.

    But while all of that is worthy of note, none of it really adds up to a truly satisfying experience. True, it doesn’t dig down into the technical minutiae of how the mission works, but the actual storyline for the most part doesn’t get the job done, leading to patches of cod-metaphysical journeys into Jakub’s past.

    Script and Direction

    Johan Renck (Director) and Adam Sandler as Jakub on the set of 'Spaceman.'
    (L to R) Johan Renck (Director) and Adam Sandler as Jakub on the set of ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Jon Pack/Netflix © 2023.

    While Colby Day’s career has mostly been in the comedy sphere, he’s clearly on something of a speculative fiction kick of late, since as well as adapting Jaroslav Kalfar’s 2017 novel ‘Spaceman of Bohemia’, he’s also worked on original sci-fi script ‘In the Blink of an Eye’, which ‘Wall-E’ director Andrew Stanton is filming right now.

    Day takes the usual streamlining liberties with the book’s story, though it’s mostly faithful to the original. It offers quite the character for Sandler to take on –– Jakub Prochazka is more along the lines of his work in movies such as ‘Punch Drunk Love’ or ‘Uncut Gems’ (though it’s certainly not as intense as that Safdie brothers effort).

    Jakub is a morose, haunted man, one with a painful troubled past and a marriage that is disintegrating –– though it was already on life support even when he was on Earth.

    Hanus (voice by Paul Dano) in Spaceman.'
    Hanus (voice by Paul Dano) in Spaceman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    On the positive front, the script does have some interesting, satirical things to say about the commercialization of space travel, with Jakub endorsing products and, at one point, required to spout a sponsor’s ad copy before he can use a pivotal part of his ship. And it’s not a joke that is run into the ground. Talking of jokes –– there really are not many in this film, which isn’t designed to be a laugh-fest, but if you’re a fan of classic Sandler, there is at least an early running gag about a toilet on board the ship.

    Director Johan Renck, who has worked on a variety of music videos, commercials, shorts and movies, scored acclaim for ‘Chernobyl’ on the small screen. Here, he brings a retro sensibility to both the spaceship and Earth-set scenes, while the effects team works to make sure that the arachnoid extraterrestrial Jakub meets on his journey doesn’t clash with the chunky, old school ship –– it feels practical and tactile.

    His work with the actors is perhaps less effective; Carey Mulligan in particular feeling like she’s left more adrift than Sandler.

    Performances

    Adam Sandler as Jakub and Carey Mulligan as Lenka in 'Spaceman.'
    (L to R) Adam Sandler as Jakub and Carey Mulligan as Lenka in ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    This is very much Sandler’s show, and he brings a heartbroken, deflated power to Jakub. This is a man who is carrying some very heavy weight from his past, both years ago (thanks to his father’s Communist background and fiery fate) and more current (his relationship to Mulligan’s Lenka, which has become distant in more ways than the miles across space).

    The actor has long proved he can handle dramatic roles, though Jakub doesn’t always give him the fuel he needs –– with the film spending chunks of time on silence and imagery that wants to be more meaningful than it is, it doesn’t always do his commitment justice.

    Adam Sandler as Jakub and Carey Mulligan as Lenka in 'Spaceman.'
    (L to R) Adam Sandler as Jakub and Carey Mulligan as Lenka in ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    As Lenka, Carey Mulligan does what she can with the role, but her whole character appears to be motivated by her feelings towards her husband and the impending birth of their child. She has little function outside of that, but the actor still proves that she’s one of the best at what she does.

    Paul Dano, meanwhile, is the voice of Hanuš, the spidery alien, eons old, who is fascinated by humanity. Dano brings a pleasingly calm authority to the voice, and makes you feel for the creature almost more than most of the humans in the story.

    Beyond those two, there are small roles for the likes of Isabella Rossellini (as the steely yet compassionate chief of the space program), Kunal Nyyar (playing Peter, who communicates with Jakub from Earth) and Lena Olin as Zdena, Lenka’s mother.

    Final Thoughts

    Adam Sandler as Jakub in 'Spaceman.'
    Adam Sandler as Jakub in ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    The movie thinks it has more on its mind than it does, leading to long meditations on marriage and metaphysics that are never as revelatory as it thinks it is.

    Still, it’s a mostly worthy showcase for Sandler and to a lesser degree Dano, even if the rest of the cast feel like they’re following in the two leads’ wake.

    ‘Spaceman’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the Plot of ‘Spaceman’?

    As an astronaut (Adam Sandler) is sent to the edge of the solar system to collect mysterious ancient dust finds his earthly life falling to pieces, he turns to the only voice who can help him try to put it back together. It just so happens to belong to a creature (Paul Dano) from the beginning of time lurking in the shadows of his ship.

    Who is in the Cast of ‘Spaceman’?

    Adam Sandler as Jakub and Hanus in 'Spaceman.'
    (L to R) Adam Sandler as Jakub and Hanus in ‘Spaceman.’ Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Spaceman’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Spaceman’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Adam Sandler Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘Spaceman’ Interview: Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan

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    Opening in theaters on February 23rd before premiering on Netflix March 1st is the new sci-fi drama ‘Spaceman,’ which was directed by Johan Renck (‘Downloading Nancy’), and stars Adam Sandler (‘Uncut Gems’) and Oscar-nominee Carey Mulligan (‘Maestro’).

    Carey Mulligan and Adam Sandler Talk Netflix's 'Spaceman'.
    (L to R) Carey Mulligan and Adam Sandler Talk Netflix’s ‘Spaceman’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan to talk about their work on the new Netflix movie ‘Spaceman.’ They discussed the new film, their characters and their complex relationship, working together and what it was like for Sandler to be isolated from the rest of the cast.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Sandler and Mulligan, and director Johan Renck.

    Related Article: Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston Talk Netflix Sequel ‘Murder Mystery 2’

    Adam Sandler as Jakub in 'Spaceman.'
    Adam Sandler as Jakub in ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Larry Horricks/Netflix © 2023.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Adam can you talk about your approach to playing this character and going to the emotional places of loneliness and regret that you had to for this role?

    Adam Sandler: Well, that’s good. Yes, it made sense to the character to be alone as much as possible. Johan, when we were shooting the alone stuff, kind of just put me in my own world. The cameras were far away, and he let me just feel the sadness on my own. Everybody on the set was nice to me, they kind of left me alone, let me be in my own little weird world. That’s not a place that I tend to be in much. I tend to try to run away from those feelings and just be as happy as possible or try to get back to happiness. This is a place where you just say, “Let’s just feel those feelings,” and I’m not that great at that, but I did it.

    Adam Sandler as Jakub and Carey Mulligan as Lenka in 'Spaceman.'
    (L to R) Adam Sandler as Jakub and Carey Mulligan as Lenka in ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    MF: Carey, they say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, but that’s not the experience your character has. Can you talk about the loneliness and fear that she’s experiencing?

    Carey Mulligan: I think she’s feeling that. I think she’s also just feeling fed up. That’s what I liked about the character, and the idea was that she’s really annoyed that he’s decided that he needs to do this thing for himself, but to the exclusion of everything else. I think there are tons of films about brave men going off and fulfilling their dream or their huge mission in life, but you don’t see the reality of how people really feel about that, which is not always like cheerleading. It’s the reality, which is, this is massively inconvenient and painful for me to be left alone when I’m going through something which I think arguably is bigger, which is bringing a new life into the world. Ultimately, he figured it out, but it took a minute. But that’s what I liked is that it felt kind of honest to be like, “This is grossly unfair.” That was really where she was coming from.

    Hanus (voice by Paul Dano) in Spaceman.'
    Hanus (voice by Paul Dano) in Spaceman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    MF: Adam, can you talk about the relationship that Jakub creates with Hanuš, and technically, what was it like shooting those scenes? Who were you acting opposite of?

    Adam Sandler: Well, Paul (Dano), who plays (the voice of) Hanuš, we did a bunch of rehearsals together, so we got to kind of lock into something that we were connecting on. So, he wasn’t there when I was shooting it, but I felt his warmth throughout it, and it was kind of like a subconscious, or a spirit that I was able to talk to and be truthful with or run away from the truth. It was very cathartic.

    Carey Mulligan as Lenka and Adam Sandler as Jakub in 'Spaceman.'
    (L to R) Carey Mulligan as Lenka and Adam Sandler as Jakub in ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    MF: Carey, I know you did not have a lot of scenes with Adam, but what was it like working separately and together with him to create this relationship?

    Carey Mulligan: Oh, it was the best. We had so much fun. We got on well, most of the time. We were filming in these beautiful places, and we both love our boss, we had a great time with Johan. We loved him. (We had a) wonderful crew, the whole thing was just such a lovely job. We were in Prague, and we were coming out of COVID, so it was still kind of empty. It felt sort of magical to be there without tons of people around. So, it was wonderful. I loved it.

    Adam Sandler as Jakub and Carey Mulligan as Lenka in 'Spaceman.'
    (L to R) Adam Sandler as Jakub and Carey Mulligan as Lenka in ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    MF: Finally, Adam, what was your experience like working with Carey. Did you feel like you had to bring you’re A-game while filming with her?

    Adam Sandler: Yes, she is incredible. (She’s a) great human being, and great actress, and I didn’t want to let anybody down. I was more excited watching her act than saying my stuff. I was like, “Let’s get back to Carey quick.” She’s exceptional.

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    What is the Plot of ‘Spaceman’?

    As an astronaut (Adam Sandler) is sent to the edge of the solar system to collect mysterious ancient dust finds his earthly life falling to pieces, he turns to the only voice who can help him try to put it back together. It just so happens to belong to a creature (Paul Dano) from the beginning of time lurking in the shadows of his ship.

    Who is in the Cast of ‘Spaceman’?

    Johan Renck (Director) and Adam Sandler as Jakub on the set of 'Spaceman.'
    (L to R) Johan Renck (Director) and Adam Sandler as Jakub on the set of ‘Spaceman.’ Photo: Jon Pack/Netflix © 2023.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Spaceman’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Spaceman’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Adam Sandler Movies on Amazon

     

  • First Look at Adam Sandler in ‘Spaceman’

    Adam Sandler as Jakub and Hanus in 'Spaceman.'
    (L to R) Adam Sandler as Jakub in ‘Spaceman.’ Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    Preview:

    • The first images and teaser are online for Adam Sandler’s new movie.
    • ‘Spaceman’ sees the actor playing an astronaut who meets a creature.
    • The movie will debut on Netflix on March 1st.

    We’re more used to seeing Adam Sandler starring in and producing comedy movies, even under his big deal with Netflix. But he has been mixing things up in the last few years, adding more drama to the mix.

    From the looks of new movie ‘Spaceman’, a sci-fi pic that sees him playing an astronaut, he’s on board something that looks more like it could come from the 1970s.

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    What’s the story of ‘Spaceman’?

    Adam Sandler as Jakub and Hanus in 'Spaceman.'
    Adam Sandler as Jakub in ‘Spaceman.’ Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    Six months into a solitary research mission to the edge of the solar system, an astronaut, Jakub (Sandler), realizes that the marriage he left behind might not be waiting for him when he returns to Earth.

    Desperate to fix things with his wife, Lenka (Carey Mulligan), he is helped by a mysterious creature from the beginning of time he finds hiding in the bowels of his ship. Hanuš (voiced by Paul Dano) works with Jakub to make sense of what went wrong before it is too late.

    Related Article: George Clooney and Adam Sandler to Star in Noah Baumbach’s New Movie

    Who else is in ‘Spaceman’?

    Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montealegre in 'Maestro.'
    Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montealegre in ‘Maestro.’ Photo: Jason McDonald/Netflix © 2023.

    The cast for the movie also includes Kunal Nayyar, Lena Olin and Isabella Rossellini.

    Johan Renck, more known for commercials and music videos (but also directed 2008 thriller ‘Downloading Nancy’), is behind the camera for this one, working from a script by Colby Day, who adapts Jaroslav Kalfar’s book.

    ‘Spaceman’: See the Teaser

    A brief first teaser, which focuses on Sandler’s character (though we hear Dano’s voice), is now online.

    See it here:
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    ‘Spaceman’: The Director Talks

    Adam Sandler as Stanley Sugerman in 'Hustle.'
    Adam Sandler as Stanley Sugerman in ‘Hustle.’ Photo: Scott Yamano/Netflix © 2022.

    Here’s what Renck had to say about working with Sandler:

    “I really wanted to have a performance from him that had nothing to do with the Adam Sandler we all know. I don’t think people understand how [although] he may come across as funny and sweet and all that, he’s very intelligent, really smart, profound.”

    And here’s what he has to say about Mulligan:

    “Carey Mulligan is incredible, both in terms of her technical skills and her tremendous authenticity. I love her as Lenka. She’s such a big part of this film and does such an extraordinary job.”

    Finally, here’s Renck’s thoughts on Paul Dano:

    “Paul was the first thing that came up in thinking about [the creature]. He has this peculiar cadence when he’s speaking, his careful formulation of words, and his very unique voice.”

    When will ‘Spaceman’ be on our screens?

    ‘Spaceman’ is due on Netflix on March 1st.

    Paul Dano at London Special Screening of 'The Batman.'
    Paul Dano at London Special Screening of ‘The Batman.’

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