The Space Between Us Movie Review

By: Lynn Barker

In The Space Between Us, 16-year-old Gardner Elliot (Asa Butterfield) feels isolated, disconnected and alone. What teen doesn’t at some point? Problem is Gardner can’t just hit the mall to meet his crew. He’s on Mars. He was born there. His only friend is Tulsa (Britt Robertson), an Earth-bound foster kid and his Skyping buddy/girlfriend. When Gardner finds a picture of a man with his mom (who died giving birth to Gardner), he decides this is dad. Gardner badly needs a trip to Earth.

Gardner and Kendra ready to leave for EarthCourtesy of STX Entertainment

Let’s Live on Mars

Scientist and entrepreneur Nathaniel Shepherd (Gary Oldman) has wanted to live on Mars all his life. Now (in our near future) with Earth’s resources dwindling, he’s raised money for sending astronauts to start a colony on Mars. Sarah Elliot (Janet Montgomery) is scientist and lead astronaut. The crew is launched and all is well until Sarah learns that she is pregnant! She passes away giving life to her son Gardner, the first human born on Mars.

Nathaniel (Gary Oldman) introduces his astronautsCourtesy of STX Entertainment

It’s a Secret

Nathaniel is freaked by the news but convinces NASA to keep the boy’s birth a secret and make up a spacesuit malfunction for Sarah’s death. 16 years later, Gardner is a super bright, open teen whose only real human friend is Denver area foster teenTulsa. He’s told her he lives in New York City and has a rare bone disease that won’t let him leave his house. Gardner’s surrogate mom is astronaut/teacher Kendra (Carla Gugino) who worries about him constantly when he goes outside in his spacesuit.

Gardner's mom dies in childbirthCourtesy of STX Entertainment

Earthward Bound

When Gardner finds an old video of his mom having fun on a beach with a guy, he assumes the guy is his mystery dad. He’s dying to meet him. When Tulsa says that she is taking off soon when she turns 18 to escape the foster care system, Gardner becomes obsessed with getting to Earth. Finally Nathaniel agrees to let him visit but he has to train and have his fragile bones reinforced to make the trip.

Stranger in a Strange Land

Kendra and Gardner go to Earth but he is kept in a testing facility. Desperately wanting to see Tulsa and go find his dad, he escapes, meets some earthers who think he’s strange, gets on a bus to Denver, shows up at Tulsa’s high school and together, they start a road trip across country to end up in California where supposed dad lives. On the way, they fall in love and are chased by well-meaning Nathanial and Kendra who know that Gardner’s weak, Martian-born heart won’t hold out too long if they don’t get him home to Mars. Will he find his real dad? What kind of future can Gardner and Tulsa have together?

The Mars base where Gardner is bornCourtesy of STX Entertainment

Wrapping Up

The Space Between Us is a sweet, romantic film that puts together two misfits who learn to trust each other as they experience some fun adventures while falling in love. The slightly futuristic setting is believable and the special visual effects are convincing.

The first crew is launched to live on MarsCourtesy of STX Entertainment

Asa Butterfield is wonderful as the wide-eyed, innocent, obsessed teen who risks his life for human connection. Britt Robertson is good at playing a tough young woman with a romantic heart. The movie contains some fun music as well and humor is peppered throughout. There is a surprise that is actually pretty easy to guess and the ending is acceptable but a little contrived to make everything fall into place.

A Mars shuttle takes Gardner to EarthCourtesy of STX Entertainment

If you’ve ever felt alone, disconnected or up for a road trip adventure with a new love, you can get into the film. It would make a fun first date movie or a good movie outing with the gal pals. We can go four stars.

The Space Between Us Movie Rating: 

The Space Between Us PosterCourtesy of STX Entertainment

The Space Between Us is in theaters now!

Have Your Say

Ever wanted to go to Mars? Do you sometimes feel that the opposite sex is from another planet? Start talking below.