Only one new release to note of this week for home viewing:
THE SPACE BETWEEN US
Directed by Peter Chelsom
Screenplay by Allan Loeb;
Story by Stewart Schill; Richard Barton Lewis; and Allan Loeb
Starring: Gary Oldman; Carla Gugino; Asa Butterfield; and Britt Robertson
The Space Between Us is an odd film following a boy born on Mars. We then pickup when he is an awkward teenager.
Somewhere in here is a nice and sweet story that took me by surprise, even though the script has problems. The script has so many holes you can drive a spaceship through it. Be it scientific holes, to no one aging, to tone issues. Now if you can ignore the holes you will be entertained. I was entertained......even though I saw the holes. There is a nice love story here. There is some exciting life and death situations. There is also a kind of a surprise while you are looking left following Gardner our Martian, it surprises us that there is something going on with another story with Gardners friend Tulsa on the right.
One of the big problems with the script is Gardner does not get to earth until almost the hour mark. Which made his time on earth, the emotional part, the exciting part, feel rushed. They should have edited a bit more in the front end of the story.
Well what made this work clearly is casting:
Asa Butterfield as Gardner is perfect in the role. He does not over play him. He does not need to. He has great eyes for the role. He is tall and lanky which makes him awkward as he fights gravity. He plays Garner straight up, almost like the part of Jake which he played in Peculiar Children.
Britt Robertson (Again! I just mentioned her in A Dogs Purpose) as Tulsa she almost steals the movie. I love how she was not just thrown in to the story, that she also has a background story. I also like that she is so....forward and small that it works playing off the awkward and tall Butterfield.
Carla Gugina as Kendra is the emotional part, since Garner lacks emotion. She is believable here playing almost, I guess, an adopted mother.
Then last but not least Gary Oldman in his best performance since The Dark Knight films. Yes we saw the "Surprise" coming a mile away but still we feel his pain while he is pulled by love and lost love, and pulled the other way by his job. Fantastic.
3 1/2 stars out of 5 for The Space Between Us. It is not The Martian where they are throwing in technical jargon. It is a cute film that you have to leave your brain at the door. if you can do that....you will like it.
From the shadows as always thanks for your time.
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