A fall from the stars: a critical psychoanalytic reading of James Gray’s film ‘Ad Astra (to the stars)’

Abstract

ABSTRACT This reading of James Gray’s science fiction film ‘Ad Astra’ explores, largely from a post-Kleinian perspective, phantasised restrictions on object relations that may result in a developmental arrest in late adolescence. The phantasy of omnipotence, with its dominating impact on the mind, is considered, including how this may link with socio-contextual impingements on boys’ developing masculine identities, especially where a father is absent during their late adolescent years.