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Partners
What it's about:
Shortly after arriving on a brand-new Mars colony, an astronaut dies while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet, and she never reveals 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 named Tulsa. When he gets a chance to go to Earth, Gardner is eager to experience all of the wonders he could only read about on Mars. Once he’s on Earth, scientists soon discover that his organs can’t handle Earth’s atmosphere. Gardner joins Tulsa on a race against time to unravel the mysteries of how he came to be, and where he belongs in the universe.
What we thought:
My initial thought of The Space Between Us was that it would be is just another teenybopper love story with a sci-fi twist and while it mostly is that, it’s pretty entertaining and interesting too.
The way I see it,the film is three main stories clamped together to make one pretty good adventure.
The first and main story is the friendship and love story between Tulsa (Britt Robertson) and Gardner Elliot (Asa Butterfireld). It’s a beautiful inspiring tale that both actors sell really well. So well that they will have you wishing for a way to merge Earth and Mars the minute they meet.
The second story, which forms the base for Gardner’s back story, is the more sci-fi part of the film. In The Martian we saw how a human could survive if ever stranded on Mars, now we’re given a story that is the other way around.
This is where Butterfield really shines. Making a story like Gardner’s believable comes as no easy task, the actor’s look, voice and even his reaction to the feeling of rain on his skin for the first time will have you believing he really is from Mars.
The only problem I did have with the film is that it wasn't balanced in the representation of Gardner's perception of Earth.
The third story is related to Gardner’s health. Having been born on Mars, experiencing Earth isn’t as positive as you think and the race against time to save him will have you sitting on the edge of your seat at the best of times.
The Space Between Us isn’t bad, but it isn’t Oscar worthy either. It will make for a good night out and may even get you to ask yourself, what your favourite thing about Earth is.
