The Space Between Us (2017)

What makes The Space Between Us special is its wonderfully human hook: a boy who’s literally grown up on Mars trying to understand Earth—not just its gravity, but its noise, its beauty, and its messy emotions. Peter Chelsom leans into a warm, earnest vibe where sci‑fi is less about gadgets than about longing, and Asa Butterfield gives Gardner a guileless, openhearted charm that makes you want to root for him from the first scene. The romance plays like a sweet, modern fairy tale with a road‑trip spirit, balancing wonder and tenderness in a way that’s genuinely entertaining even when the film reaches for big, sentimental notes. If you’re allergic to sincerity or prefer hard science over soft feelings, it may not be your orbit—but if you want a heartfelt, high-concept love story with wide-eyed adventure, it’s an easy ticket.

The Space Between Us wants to be a heartfelt, fish-out-of-water sci-fi romance about identity, belonging, and the awe of seeing Earth for the first time. The problem is it leans hard on clichés and melodrama, with a wobbly script that often feels like it’s sprinting past logic to hit the next emotional beat, leaving the romance thinner than it should be. If you’re allergic to cheesy dialogue, convenient plot turns, and “wait, why would anyone do that?” moments, this will test your patience. Still, Asa Butterfield sells the wide-eyed innocence well, and the premise has enough sweetness that viewers who enjoy sentimental, teen-leaning adventure romances might find it harmless comfort viewing.