Showcasing a young love that is totally out of this world, “The Space Between Us” revisits the idea of star-crossed lovers with a modern twist. The film tells the classic tale of when boy meets girl, except they’re only a couple of million miles away.
Based in a not-so-distant future, the environmental effects of climate change and mass agricultural production take a heavy toll on earth. As a result, a completely high-tech space program launches the first ever human colony in the Milky Way. Gardner, played by actor Asa Butterfield, is the first human to be born on Mars due to an astronaut parent.
In search of meaningful human contact, the teenage boy, like many in this age of social media, takes to the internet. In an age where online romances are all the rage, Gardner discovers Tulsa, a teenager living in Colorado. Played by actress Britt Robertson, Tulsa and Gardner develop a friendship and flirtationship through the power of modern technology.
When the opportunity to visit Earth arises, Gardner does everything in his power to finally meet the teenage girl he’s been communicating with. The two engage in earthly adventures, exchanging their perspectives of not only their respective planets but also the inhabitants they endure. However, once the Martian learns of his body’s inability to remain healthy on earth, the twosome realize the reality of their relationship.
Taking the old saying “men are from Mars” quite literally, the film embodies a coming of age feeling while capturing a new perspective on forbidden love, relating to the young adults of this generation. Tackling on William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and challenging it with intergalactic forces’ intervenience of love, “The Space Between Us” is this generation’s sappy love story.
