Script review – “Apollo 13” by John Sayles

Sayles was called in to script doctor/rewrite this movie but doesn't get credit. It's a solid, engrossing film, with lots of technical data. No one really has an enthralling character but since most of the people depicted are still alive that was inevitable I guess. People are calm under pressure, all pitching in. It is a good yarn, stuck in that little crate miles from everywhere, and you follow what's going on and it isn't dumbed down. Some great bits which from memory didn't make the movie from memory e.g. Jim Lovell and Neil Armstrong having beers talking about the death of the astronauts in the fire (this feels very John Sayles). All the scenes of Mrs Lovell at home were presumably inserted to keep up the "women's interest" factor but they are dull and repetitive - I mean, the writers do what they can, but what can you do?