The Space Between Us
2017 · Directed by Peter Chelsom
Original language: English
- romance
- science fiction
- drama
The story
A young man raised by scientists on Mars returns to Earth to find his father.
What it’s like
Bright, wide-open daylight on Earth set against the cramped, sterile whites of a Martian colony, with the contrast doing much of the emotional work. The film leans on glossy digital cinematography: clean lens flares, saturated city colours, and warm skies that feel almost too vivid after the pale, dusty reds of Mars. Shots of the young lead staring up at crowded streets, skyscrapers and the ocean carry a wide-eyed wonder, while the colony scenes are tidy and enclosed, with soft fluorescent glow and a sense of quiet isolation. The score is a gentle, melodic swell rather than anything bombastic, and the pacing is easy and unhurried, with plenty of room for banter and small awkward moments. Its vibe is bittersweet and earnest, a sweet teen romance wrapped in a road-trip-like search. Emotionally it sits in a warm, hopeful register, following a lonely outsider slowly learning how to belong and a dream of meeting a father he has never known. Intensity is low: there is no real violence, only mild peril and a few tense moments, and the romance stays chaste and sweet. It suits a relaxed weekend afternoon or a comfort watch for people who want a gentle, sentimental sci-fi romance with a sense of wonder.
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