A forgettable feature directorial debut for Fargo and Legion showrunner Noah Hawley, Lucy in the Sky has scattered inspired moments, but never figures out how to sell its central conflict.

Plagued by frequently awkward writing that reduces its talented cast to schlocky VOD players, the ballad of NASA astronaut Lucy Cola (a miscast Natalie Portman) and her struggles to readjust to terrestrial life after experiencing the bliss of being in space feels even more paltry in the wake of Ad Astra’s numerous successes.

While the latter’s spectacle and mining of raw human emotions make the comparison largely unfair, Hawley and co-writers Brian C. Brown and Elliott DiGuiseppi would have viewers believe that their drama — loosely based on the 2007 actions of Lisa Nowak and her (alleged) diaper-aided kidnapping of a romantic rival — is similarly moving, yet their disorganized presentation of Lucy’s angst keeps that elevated level of connection at a distance.

Amidst the screenwriting blunders, a salty Ellen Burstyn proves a reliable source of chuckles as Lucy’s grandmother, and Dan Stevens’ Ned Flanders impression is enough to turn Lucy’s NASA PR husband Drew into a sufficiently full character. But in Lucy’s dull dealings with fellow astronaut Mark (Jon Hamm) and potential mission usurper Erin (Zazie Beetz), the film loses whatever momentum it had early on while doubling down on an empty romantic triangle that never had a chance.

Grade: D-plus. Rated R. Now playing at Carolina Cinemark

(Photo: Fox Searchlight)