Peter Bradshaw van The Guardian geeft de film vier sterren en noemt het een "mostly soaring, occassionally staid drama."
Robbie Collin van concurrent de Daily Telegraph tweette dit erover:
Here's my review of First Man, the best film to open Venice in which a star of Murder by Numbers uses space travel as a metaphor for parental grief since Gravity: https://t.co/ZSaoJaPHdD #Venezia75
-- Robbie Collin (@robbiereviews) 29 augustus 2018
Hun Belgische collega Lieven Trio was nog lovender:
Word is out: Damien Chazelle lanceert zichzelf (en Ryan Gosling) gegarandeerd opnieuw richting #Oscars met Neil Armstrong-biopic #FirstMan. Geweldige opener voor #Venezia75. https://t.co/7Y3eoKqv08 @demorgen
— Lieven Trio (@l_trio) 29 augustus 2018
Net zoals Leonardo Goi van The Film Stage:
FIRST MAN is nothing short of extraordinary. Builds on Chazelle's flair for determined, goal-driven heroes, but conjures up a refreshingly more fragile one in a terrific Gosling. My review from #Venezia75 for @TheFilmStage https://t.co/Fqwd1RoU6h
-- Leonardo Goi (@LeonardoGoi) 29 augustus 2018
Daarnaast is er niet alleen lof voor de regisseur en de hoofdrolspeler:
FIRST MAN has one of my favorite rosters of male supporting actors in a long time. Clarke, Hinds, Whigham, Chandler, Abbott, Stoll, Schreiber. It's like Christmas in a shuttle for me, love those guys. I'm also glad I saw a fierce Claire Foy make them look like boys. #Venezia75
-- Tommaso Tocci (@Cinelais) 29 augustus 2018
Hoewel de lof (uiteraard) niet unaniem was:
But... as I've heard others say, I was waiting for it to end the whole time lol. Completely unmotivated storyline. Basically, yes, it was a good film. Will I go around telling people they should watch it? No
-- marianne (@mariannemp_) 29 augustus 2018
