[3][4] The film focuses on Bowie's abortive first tour of the US in 1971, his troubled relationships with his wife Angie and half-brother Terry Burns, and his creation of the Ziggy Stardust persona.

[6] Marc Maron, Jena Malone, Aaron Poole, Roanna Cocharne, Jorja Cadence, Annie Briggs, and Ryan Blakley were cast in supporting roles,[7] along with Jeremy Legat and James Cade.

Club's Ignatiy Vishnevetsky referred to the production as "velvet garbage" and concluding the film's version of Bowie to be "simply a mediocre jerk who needs roleplaying therapy to deal with his demons.

"[16] Simran Hans of The Observer gave the film one out of five and wrote: "the whole thing feels strangely pedestrian, unable to capture or channel Bowie's maverick spirit.

[18] Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent also praised Flynn's performance, writing: "The actor-musician... is convincing as a tortured glam rocker – just not the one who ever sang about Major Tom’s interplanetary adventures."

"[21] James Mottram of the South China Morning Post gave the film three out of five stars, writing: "If you compare Stardust to Bohemian Rhapsody or Rocketman ... then this David Bowie drama is like a rare groove B-side.