Solaris

2002 Sci Fi

A therapist travels to a distant space station to treat a group of astronauts traumatized by mysterious entities -- and ends up having to deal with an entity of his own -- in this second film version of Stanislaw Lem's philosophical sci-fi novel. Solaris stars George Clooney as Chris Kelvin, a psychologist still mourning the loss of his wife Rheya (Natascha McElhone) when he's implored by a colleague named Gibarian (Ulrich Tukur) to investigate the increasingly weird goings-on at the Prometheus space station. By the time Kelvin gets there, Gibarian has committed suicide, leaving only the cryptic, babbling Snow (Jeremy Davies) and the paranoid, guarded Gordon (Viola Davis), both of whom are holed up in their respective rooms. As Kelvin interrogates the skeleton crew, he learns that they've had unwanted "visitors," apparitions of long-dead friends, family, and loved ones who are apparently being generated by the interstellar energy source Solaris. The doctor is dubious of their claims until one night he, too, is greeted by his wife Rheya (Natascha McElhone), whose death still torments him. At first skeptical of the new Rheya, Kelvin gradually becomes obsessed with her -- and with the guilt that he feels over their troubled marriage -- to the point where the others begin to fear for his sanity. Produced by James Cameron, Solaris represented director Steven Soderbergh's first screenplay credit since the independently financed Schizopolis in 1996. more..

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: George Clooney, Natascha McElhone, Jeremy Davies, Viola Davis, Ulrich Tukur

Reviews

  • Clooney brings raw intensity to his role; his scenes with McElhone are rooted in a fierce romantic yearning.

    Peter Travers - Rolling Stone

    27 April 2013

  • The Soderbergh version is like the same story freed from the weight of Tarkovsky's solemnity. And it evokes one of the rarest of movie emotions, ironic regret.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    27 April 2013

  • Unexpectedly thoughtful, as well as touching.

    Joe Morgenstern - The Wall Street Journal

    27 April 2013

  • Soderbergh does a fine job creating a moody atmosphere of pervasive anxiety. The ending can be interpreted a few different ways and should ignite debate about its meaning.

    Claudia Puig - USA Today

    27 April 2013

  • To appreciate Solaris, the new film by Steven Soderbergh, it helps to downshift your moviegoing metabolism to a level approaching the cryogenically frozen: The movie's that cerebral, that contemplative, that slow.

    Ty Burr - The Boston Globe

    27 April 2013

Awards

  • Best Actor

    Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (2003)

     
  • Steven Soderbergh

    Berlin International Film Festival (2003)

     
  • Theatrical - Best Supporting Actress

    Black Reel Awards (2003)

     
  • Best Actress in a Film

    Irish Film and Television Awards (2003)

     
  • Best Sound

    Satellite Awards (2003)