There are opportunities to groan during Pavlo Ostrikov’s deep space dramedy U are the Universe in an understandable way. There are the incredibly unsubtle throwbacks to films like Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, for instance, right down to the somewhat HAL-like personal robotic assistant Maxim who assists Ukrainian space trucker Andriy (Volodymyr Kravchuk) in his missions to dispose of Earth’s nuclear waste on Jupiter’s moon Callisto. Then there is the simple fact that zero gravity does not seem to be a thing in this film, and therefore Andriy walks around his ship like a normal gravity-bound human. Considering the circumstances in which Ostrikov made his film, in the middle of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I think we can allow him to bend the normal rules this time, while the references to space adventures of cinema past ultimately prove more fun than tiresome. Indeed, as I continued giving the film the benefit of the doubt, what I experienced was ultimately quite charming and surprisingly moving.
The shocking catalyst that turns the film on its head occurs quite early on. As Andriy busies himself with his hobby of making clay figurines, a bright flash temporarily blinds him. It turns out that Earth has been destroyed in the blink of an eye by a series of asteroid strikes, leaving Andriy as potentially the last human being alive. The idea doesn’t register at first, and when it does, it predictably sends Andriy into a tailspin. But all hope is not lost: Quite by chance a few days later, Andriy receives a message from a Frenchwoman named Catherine stationed near Saturn. He is no longer alone. He hesitates to communicate at first (their language barrier requires computerized translation, and the messages arrive at three-hour intervals due to the distance), but Catherine’s warmth and inquisitiveness slowly bring Andriy out of his shell, and their connection provides a great boost to his spirits. But whether the two can physically meet is another question entirely, particularly when Andriy’s ship incurs damage from the debris of Earth’s decimation.
Ostrikov is not concerned about rushing through the details of Andriy and Catherine’s story, allowing it to play out piece by piece while buffered by scraps of humour of varying temperatures. The approach may not be to everyone’s liking, especially those who come in wanting Star Wars-level action and grandeur, but I believe many will be won over by the film’s heartfelt humanity. And certainly, when the indelible final image takes over the screen, even the hardest of hearts will likely be softened a bit more, as the fates of these characters hover into devastating focus.
U are the Universe had its world premiere at TIFF in the Discovery programme on September 7, 2024.
The Lonely Film Critic 