The Space Between Us

Movie Review
Release on: Feb 03, 2017

Movie name	:	The Space Between Us
Genres	:	Adventure, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Run time	:	121 min
Produced by	:	Richard Barton Lewis
Directed by	:	Peter Chelsom
Music by	:	Andrew Lockington
Writers	:	Allan Loeb, Stewart Schill
Cinematography	:	Barry Peterson
Edited by	:	David Moritz
Production	:	Huayi Brothers Pictures Los Angeles Media Fund
Countries	:	USA

Synopsis
Reviews (1)

Stars : Britt Robertson, Janet Montgomery, Asa Butterfield, Carla Gugino, Gary Oldman, BD Wong, Colin Egglesfield, Lora Martinez-Cunningham, Alma Sisneros, Sarah Minnich, Joey Graceffa, Jenny Gabrielle, Peter Chelsom, John-Paul Howard, William Sterchi, Kristen Rakes, Mia Stallard, Danny Winn, Adande 'Swoozie' Thorne, Luce Rains, David House, Scott Takeda, Esodie Geiger, Lauren Myers, Beth Bailey, Humberto Castro, Stafford Douglas, Bernardo Saracino, Jacob Browne, Nathaniel Augustson, Eli Goodman, Frank Powers, Morse Bicknell, Shawn Lecrone, Marika Day, Aurora Antonio, Gregory Paul Valdez, Ramona King, Ryan Jason Cook, Nate Warren, Shad Adair, David Devereaux, Johnny Palomarez Jr., Trey Tucker, Katrina Kavanaugh, Rick Anglada, Thomas Kemp, David White, Heather Bash, Jesse Romero, Edsel Pete, Derek Blakeney, Steven Ray Byrd, Drago Sumonja, Lluvia Almanza, Brian Barela, Kelly V. Lucio, David Robbins, Lauren Telford, Melissa Hernandez, Evan Wilcox, Jamie H. Jung, Jody Deats, Tim D. Janis, Cesar Miramontes, Harrison Kavanaugh, Rene Herrera, Daniel Garcia-Flores, Kurt Capalbo, Robby Trujillo, Luis Ricardo Anzures, Jon Erik Castro, Kyle Pierson, Lorraine Sanchez, Anton Toney, Miguel Brito, Irene Taylor, Adrian Acosta, Todd Bethke, Stephen Conn, Alan Humphrey, Victoria L. Moya, Clayton Salberg, Amy Emily Stack, Aaron Templeton

Story : In this interplanetary adventure, a space shuttle embarks on the first mission to colonize Mars, only to discover after takeoff that one of the astronauts is pregnant. Shortly after landing, she dies from complications while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet - never revealing who the father is. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Gardner Elliot - an inquisitive, highly intelligent boy who reaches the age of 16 having only met 14 people in his very unconventional upbringing. While searching for clues about his father, and the home planet he's never known, Gardner begins an online friendship with a street smart girl in Colorado named Tulsa. When he finally gets a chance to go to Earth, he's eager to experience all of the wonders he could only read about on Mars - from the most simple to the extraordinary. But once his explorations begin, scientists discover that Gardner's organs can't withstand Earth's atmosphere. Eager to find his father, Gardner escapes the team...

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From the synopsis, it would appear this unusual yet alluring premise would be an intriguing watch. The initial setup is engrossing as it portrays the life of the first ‘genuine’ Martian. However, as soon as he lands on Earth, the sci-fi is relegated to fantasy as the lead pair embarks on a road trip, which doubles as an allegory for self-discovery – a tired trope that quickly loses steam. The narrative tries to juggle between what it means to be human, Elliot’s search for his father and his romance with Tulsa, but ends up focusing primarily on the latter.
For the most part, the performances of the key players are engrossing. The vast experience of both Gary Oldman and Carla Gugino is showcased as they suitably anchor the plot, although the latter is arguably underutilised as a maternal figure. Oldman knows precisely where to hold back and when to let go, thereby stealing every scene he’s in. Asa Butterfield as Gardner Elliot is perfectly cast as the lanky, fish-out-of-water Martian who gives an invested performance and even when tasked with lines worthy of eye-rolls, delivers them with all the sincerity he can muster. His Earthbound counterpart Tulsa played by Britt Robertson, ends up being out of place as the street-smart, precocious girl with a tough exterior. Robertson pushes her character beyond a confident young woman to merely annoying territory.

( 2.75 / 5 ) Read full review

The Space Between Us

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