The Space Between Us
Reviews
Frank Ochieng
Somehow Hollywood continues to search for different outlets in conveying young love at the box office. Sure, the goal is always the same in terms of tapping into the youth market by promoting yet another transparent teen weepie but this time among the planetary stars. Hey, youngsters need catering at the movie theaters as well, right? However, one is not so convinced that the Young Adults (YA) genre is convincingly elevated by a flimsy frontier sci-fi romancer among the Clearasil crowd. Hence, **The Space Between Us** fits the bill as a scattershot and schmaltzy pimple-faced love story that has all the emotional stability of moon dust in front of a heavy duty oscillating fan. Writer-director Peter Chelsom (“Funny Bones”, “Serendipity”) and fellow screenwriters Allan Loeb and Tinker Lindsay delve into the conventional cliches of a lame star-crossed lovers theme that wreaks of saccharine-coated simplicity wrapped in scientific triteness. The awkward mixture of lightweight sci-fi drama, pandering gooey-eyed overtures toward teenage girls still nostalgically embracing their _Twilight_ fixation and space-age elements as filler exploration makes for a paper-cutter potency that creates unwanted space between us or any other species watching this cosmic claptrap. Give Chelsom some credit–at least his young protagonists are not another incarnation of obligatory hairy werewolves or fanged vampires, right? The adolescent pen pals in **The Space Between Us** are truly from different worlds although this does not stop these particular kids from bonding deeply. Advanced academic in sixteen-year old Gardner Elliot (Asa Butterfield) is having a time of his life in corresponding with the edgy Tulsa (Britt Robertson) in the chat rooms. Whereas Gardner is a whiz in robotics and comes from prestigious stock (his late mother was a pioneering astronaut) his object of affection Tulsa is a motorcycle-loving wild child that had bounced around in the foster care system. The glaring differences between the unlikely young couple is that the scientifically gifted Gardner is located on Mars and Tulsa is a gritty gal living on Earth in the state of Colorado. Geez…talking about long distant relationships, huh? Poor Gardner has always entertained the thought of traveling to Earth–the home planet of his deceased explorer mother who died giving birth to him during her mission to colonize Mars. So now there is more of an incentive for Gardner to yearn for visiting Earth now that his curiosity and fascination with Tulsa has heightened. At this point all Martian Gardner has going for him socially is his guardian/”second” mother in astronaut/scientist Kendra Wyndham (Carla Gugino) and his robotic pal he built to provide him companionship. The cruel reality for Gardner not being able to take a trip to Earth has something to do with his sensitive Martian-bred bodily functioning not being able to withstand the atmospheric gravity settings on our planet (huh…is he not half Earthling?). All Gardner wants to do is come to terms with connecting to the planet Earth and finding some self-discovery about himself and self-fulfillment with his Colorado-based crush in the leather-clad Tulsa. Of course the film figures out–in convoluted fashion no doubt–how to place the inquisitive Gardner on earth-related soil through the far-fetched means of a billionaire Nathaniel Shepherd (Gary Oldman) funding the experimentation and expedition of the Red Planet-raised tyke whose dream of reaching the planet that houses his unknown father and his precious Tulsa. Soon, the inevitability of Gardner meeting up with his dreamgirl comes true as the teenage twosome take off and find liberation in each other’s company as the authorities are hot on their trail. Look out Romeo and Juliet…you have a cheesy carbon copy coupling seeking to steal your familiar thunder. **The Space Between Us** produces more sappy substance than a row of Vermont trees. The fish-out-of-water routine that Butterfield’s Gardner undergoes when reaching Earth is mechanically clumsy and predictable. Butterfield does what he can to portray Gardner as an alien just not from another planet but from his own skin and this notion is philosophically ambitious to pull off for an interstellar teen tearjerker that has all the complexity of a sofa cushion. Robertson’s Tulsa is the typical rebellious chick but her and Butterfield’s Gardner become tiresome as they engage in manufactured chase scenes, teen-angst lovey-dovey lameness and the dragged-out space travel drivel that beleaguers this simplistic sci-fi yarn. The results in **The Space Between Us** is alarming more than charming because once the payoff is realized where Gardner and Tulsa draw energy from each other’s worldly vibes as they cuddle in zero gravity one will be left wondering where the next asteroid is coming to act as the needed wrecking ball to obliterate this toothless sci-fi saga aimed at the indiscriminate teen targets. **The Space Between Us (2017)** STX Entertainment 2 hrs. STARRING: Asa Butterfield, Brit Robertson, Gary Oldman, Gina Gugino, Janet Montgomery, Trey Tucker, Scott Takeda, Adande “Swoozie” Thorne, Sarah Minnich DIRECTED BY: Peter Chelsom WRITTEN BY: Peter Chelsom, Tinker Lindsay Allan Loeb MPAA Rating: PG-13 GENRE: Action & Adventure/Science Fiction/Fantasy & Romance Critic’s rating: ** stars (out of 4 stars) (c) **Frank Ochieng** 2017
Reno
**What's your favourite thing about Earth?** You might ask that question for yourself while/after watching this film. This is not a great film, but surely different and enjoyable. This kind of storyline can be acceptable for the todays space ambition by the humans they have to accomplish. A couple of decades ago, it was called a fiction, still it is, but quite close to realistically possible. So we had seen many films based on human connection with the red planet, Mars, but this one was a little different. It is romance theme, though not like east meets west. It is Mars meets Earth. The story of a boy from Mars and the girl from Earth. That's how it ends, but not that how it was initiated. It was the boy who searched for his connection with the Earth, and doing that, all the usual things happen, like some people come after him, like running and chasing. Well made film. It was not a complicated screenplay, but the twist was unexpected at the end yet I did not think it was strong. Explained everything with details, as well as intentionally added some of scenes to cover up later parts when the narration takes the unexpected route. Best cast for sure. Britt Robertson played the role ten years younger than her she is. But it does not matter, she still looks like a teenager. And Asa Butterfield was quite good too. The only usual thing about the film was the road adventure, though it did not take the usual route. Nothing was like you have already seen them. That's where it hand upper hand. The end was good, yet I felt it softened to bring a certain type of ending than a relevant one. Because it is a PG13 film and they wanted the conclusion that satisfy their target audience. So, it is a nice film and once watchable. _7/10_
Movie Recommendation
I Am Jane Doe2017-02-10Chronicles the epic battle that several American mothers are waging on behalf of their middle-school daughters, victims of sex-trafficking on Backpage.com, the adult classifieds section that for years was part of the Village Voice.More...
Then Came You2018-12-05An American hypochondriac who is working as a baggage handler is forced to confront his fears when a British teenager with a terminal illness enlists him to help her carry out her eccentric bucket list.More...
10,000 Saints2015-08-14A sweeping multigenerational story set against the backdrop of the raw, roaring New York City of the late 1980s; adoption, teen pregnancy, drugs, hardcore punk rock, the unbridled optimism and reckless stupidity of the young—and old—are all major elements in this heart-aching tale of the son of diehard hippies and his strange odyssey through the extremes of late 20th century youth culture.More...
Wolves2014-08-28The coming-of-age story of Cayden Richards. Forced to hit the road after the murder of his parents, Cayden wanders lost without purpose... Until he meets a certifiable lunatic named Wild Joe who sets him on a path to the ominous town of Lupine Ridge to hunt down the truths of his history. But in the end| who's really hunting whom?More...
Kiss and Cry2017-02-10A romantic drama based on the story of Carley Allison, a promising 18 year old figure skater and singer who made medical history in her fight against a rare 1 in 3.5 billion type of sarcoma.More...
Everything, Everything2017-05-18A teenager who's lived a sheltered life because she's allergic to everything, falls for the boy who moves in next door.More...
Ballerina2016-12-14In 1879 Paris, a young orphan dreams of becoming a ballerina and flees her rural Brittany for Paris, where she passes for someone else and accedes to the position of pupil at the Grand Opera house.More...
The First Time2012-10-19A shy senior and a down-to-earth junior fall in love over one weekend.More...
Mother's Day2016-04-28Sandy is a stressed-out, single mom who learns that her ex-husband is marrying a younger woman. Her friend Jesse's parents don't know that she has a family or that her sister, Gabi is married to a woman. Jesse's friend, Kristin, is juggling motherhood of a toddler, a patient boyfriend who keeps proposing, and searching for her biological mother. Bradley is a widower who's trying to raise two daughters on his own, while Miranda is too busy with her career to worry about children. When their respective problems intersect and start coming to a head, the Mother's Day holiday takes on a special meaning for all.More...
A Cure for Wellness2017-02-15An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company's CEO from an idyllic but mysterious "wellness center" at a remote location in the Swiss Alps but soon suspects that the spa's miraculous treatments are not what they seem.More...
The Perfect Man2005-06-17Holly is tired of moving every time her mom Jean breaks up with yet another second-rate guy. To distract her mother from her latest bad choice, Holly conceives the perfect plan for the perfect man, an imaginary secret admirer who will romance Jean and boost her self-esteem.More...
Aftermath2017-02-28A fatal plane crash changes the lives of Roman and Jake forever. Roman loses his wife and daughter in the accident, while Jake loses his mind—as he happens to be the air traffic controller who failed to avert the nightmare. Rage and revenge engulfs Roman and Jake finds himself swamped with guilt and regret.More...
The Circle2017-04-27A young tech worker takes a job at a powerful Internet corporation, quickly rises up the company's ranks, and soon finds herself in a perilous situation concerning privacy, surveillance and freedom. She comes to learn that her decisions and actions will determine the future of humanity.More...
The Discovery2017-03-31In the near future, due to a breakthrough scientific discovery by Dr. Thomas Harbor, there is now definitive proof of an afterlife. While countless people have chosen suicide to reset their existence, others try to decide what it all means. Among them is Dr. Harbor's son Will, who has arrived at his father's isolated compound with a mysterious young woman named Isla. There, they discover the strange acolytes who help Dr. Harbor with his experiments.More...
To the Bone2017-01-22A young woman dealing with anorexia meets an unconventional doctor who challenges her to face her condition and embrace life.More...
A Dog's Purpose2017-01-19A dog goes on quest to discover his purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes with multiple owners.More...
Dude2018-04-20Four best friends negotiate loss and major life changes during the last two weeks of high school.More...
Happy Anniversary2018-03-30A quirky couple spends their three-year dating anniversary looking back at their relationship and contemplating whether they should break up.More...
Vamps2012-08-25The modern-day story focuses on two beautiful young vampires who are living the good nightlife in New York until love enters the picture and each has to make a choice that will jeopardize their immortality.More...
Cazuza: Time Doesn't Stop2004-06-11Inspired by the moving book “Só as Mães São Felizes”, by Lucinha Araújo, Cazuza's mother, the film covers a little more than 10 years of the singer’s crazy and brief life – from the beginning of his career in the Circo Voador venue, in 1981, to the huge success and the apotheosis of his shows with the Barão Vermelho band, his solo career, his relations with his parents, friends, lovers and passions, and the courage he had to face his final years, with HIV, until his death, in 1990.More...
Similar Movies
Harry Potter and the ...
2005-11-16When Harry Potter's name emerges from the Goblet of Fire, he becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools—the Triwizard Tournament. But since Harry never submitted his name for the Tournament, who did? Now Harry must confront a deadly dragon, fierce water demons and an enchanted maze only to find himself in the cruel grasp of He Who Must Not Be Named.Aliens
1986-07-18Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.Contact
1997-07-11A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality.Harry Potter and the ...
2009-07-15As Lord Voldemort tightens his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven. Harry suspects perils may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemorts defenses and to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Even as the decisive showdown looms, romance blossoms for Harry, Ron, Hermione and their classmates. Love is in the air, but danger lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.Spider-Man
2002-05-01After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.Spider-Man 2
2004-06-25Peter Parker is going through a major identity crisis. Burned out from being Spider-Man, he decides to shelve his superhero alter ego, which leaves the city suffering in the wake of carnage left by the evil Doc Ock. In the meantime, Parker still can't act on his feelings for Mary Jane Watson, a girl he's loved since childhood. A certain anger begins to brew in his best friend Harry Osborn as well...The Matrix Reloaded
2003-05-15Six months after the events depicted in The Matrix, Neo has proved to be a good omen for the free humans, as more and more humans are being freed from the matrix and brought to Zion, the one and only stronghold of the Resistance. Neo himself has discovered his superpowers including super speed, ability to see the codes of the things inside the matrix and a certain degree of pre-cognition. But a nasty piece of news hits the human resistance: 250,000 machine sentinels are digging to Zion and would reach them in 72 hours. As Zion prepares for the ultimate war, Neo, Morpheus and Trinity are advised by the Oracle to find the Keymaker who would help them reach the Source. Meanwhile Neo's recurrent dreams depicting Trinity's death have got him worried and as if it was not enough, Agent Smith has somehow escaped deletion, has become more powerful than before and has fixed Neo as his next target.The Matrix Revolution...
2003-11-05The human city of Zion defends itself against the massive invasion of the machines as Neo fights to end the war at another front while also opposing the rogue Agent Smith.THX 1138
1971-03-11People in the future live in a totalitarian society. A technician named THX 1138 lives a mundane life between work and taking a controlled consumption of drugs that the government uses to make puppets out of people. As THX is without drugs for the first time he has feelings for a woman and they start a secret relationship.The Prisoner of Zenda...
1996-09-01When young computer genius Rudy inherits his father's business his avaricious uncle has him kidnapped and held hostage until the boy signs off all rights to the lucrative enterprise. Not wanting the uncle to control, a pair of corporate executives happen upon a youth who looks just like the missing heir. In hopes of keeping the business afloat, they substitute him at the board meetings.Coming In
1997-01-01Copywriter Lorenz is gay and has a relationship with his boss Adrian. The two are happy together until Lorenz meets secretary Nina one day. Nina has just been abandoned by her husband Kai, who is now with a man. Lorenz also suddenly develops new, unknown feelings. He falls in love with Nina, a woman. Of course, he does everything he can to keep that from Adrian. But that does not hide Lorenz's emotional chaos.Ohm Shanthi Oshaana
2014-02-07Pooja Mathew, a spirited young girl, wants to have a love marriage in her life. Thus, she stops at nothing to impress Giri, who saved her once from a group of unruly men.Princesses
2005-09-02Caye is a young prostitute whose family is unaware of her profession. She meets her striking Dominican neighbour Zulema, an illegal immigrant, after she finds her in the bathroom, badly beaten up. They strike up a close friendship unbeknownst to Caye's xenophobic co-workers.Notes on a Scandal
2006-12-25A veteran high school teacher befriends a younger art teacher, who is having an affair with one of her 15-year-old students. However, her intentions with this new "friend" also go well beyond platonic friendship.TMNT
2007-03-23After the defeat of their old arch nemesis, The Shredder, the Turtles have grown apart as a family. Struggling to keep them together, their rat sensei, Splinter, becomes worried when strange things begin to brew in New York City.The Discovery of Heav...
2001-10-01Disappointed with humanity, God wants to revoke his contract with humanity and wants to take back the stone tablets containing the ten commandments. To this end an angel is sent out to affect the personal lives of three humans so an appropriate child may be conceived.Y Tu Mamá También
2001-06-08In Mexico, two teenage boys and an attractive older woman embark on a road trip and learn a thing or two about life, friendship, sex, and each other.Dark Star
1974-03-30A group of scientists are sent on a mission to destroy unstable planets. Twenty years into their mission, they have to battle their alien mascot as well as a "sensitive" and intelligent bombing device that starts to question the meaning of its existence.This Island Earth
1955-06-01Aliens have landed and are hiding on Earth, but need Earth’s scientists to help them fight an inter-planetary war.Dune
1984-12-14In the year 10,191, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life. The spice expands consciousness. The spice is vital to space travel. The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe, the vast desert planet Arrakis, also known as Dune. Its native inhabitants, the Fremen, have long held a prophecy that a man would come, a messiah who would lead them to true freedom.