CLEVELAND, Ohio — “What’s your favorite thing about Earth?” That’s the question that Mars-born Gardner Elliot asks as he roams the American Southwest, soaking up new experiences and falling in love in the teen romance “The Space Between Us.”
The movie suffers from sluggish action at times, but its plot twists and appealing young actors elevate the proceedings into an enjoyable blend of romance, science fiction and adventure.
Gary Oldman plays Nathaniel Shepherd, an Elon Musk-type entrepreneur spearheading the first manned settlement on Mars. Soon after blast-off, astronaut Sarah Elliot (Janet Montgomery) discovers she is pregnant. She dies in childbirth on Mars, but her baby lives.
The baby, Gardner Elliot (Asa Butterfield), grows up to be a precocious and lonely teenager. His birth was kept secret from people on Earth, and his bones aren’t strong enough to withstand Earth’s gravity. Unbeknownst to his foster mom, Kendra (Carla Gugino), Gardner has started an email relationship with Tulsa (Britt Robertson), a tough and resourceful teenager whose time in various foster homes has made her mistrustful.
REVIEW
The Space Between Us
Who: With Asa Butterfield, Britt Robertson, Gary Oldman and Carla Gugino. Directed by Peter Chelsom.
Rated: PG-13 (for brief sensuality and language).
Running time: 121 minutes.
When: Opens Friday.
Where: Area theaters.
Grade: B-
With help from an operation to strengthen his bones, Gardner can visit Earth for a limited time. He finds Tulsa in Oklahoma, and the two go on a road trip to learn more about Gardner’s identity. Gardner also persuades Tulsa to lower her emotional defenses and recognize his love for her.
The action drags at times, but it picks up when the focus returns to the rapport between Gardner and Tulsa, two motherless teens searching for human connections. That is the movie’s true spark.
Butterfield’s wide blue eyes reflect a range of emotions and give him a cute-puppy look that teen girls will appreciate. He’s a young actor with an impressive resume in science fiction and fantasy films, having starred in Martin Scorsese’s 2011 film “Hugo,” “Ender’s Game” and “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.”
Robertson does a fine job as the fiery Tulsa. Her acting resume includes the TV series “Under the Dome” and the film “Tomorrowland.”
This movie emphasizes romance more than science fiction, glossing over many practical details about life on another planet. How did a bunch of scientists feed an infant with no formula among their supplies? How was Gardner able to keep his emails to Tulsa secret when surely NASA was monitoring all communications? And why was there no lag time in their messaging because of the distance between Earth and Mars?
It would be easy to invent reasons for all these things, and the filmmakers should have included a few lines of explanation.
Parents be warned: “The Space Between Us” includes an unnecessary love scene between Gardner and Tulsa. While the moment is handled discreetly – the two climb into the same sleeping bag – it will cause some parents to put the movie on the no-fly list for their kids.
“The Space Between Us” threatens to conclude on a tear-jerking note, but it ends with a sense of optimism for our young lovers.
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