When you look at a film like Space Oddity at face value, it seems to be just another stereotypical romantic comedy. In a way, it can be. It takes some guts to try and change what is obviously a successful formula for a rom-com. Yet, I can admire the fact that Space Oddity takes that risk and tries to deliver something that tells a bit of a different story. The fact that it can be elevated by some good acting is just a bonus.
The film focuses on Alex McAllister (Kyle Allen), a boy who lives on a farm with his family and has entered into the “Mission to Mars” space program to go on a one-way trip to colonize Mars. Alex’s family disapproves of this move, yet it seems to be what gets Alex out of bed every day. He also meets Daisy (Alexandra Shipp), a local insurance agent who starts a romance with Alex. As we unfold his story, we learn about the challenges Alex has faced in his life and how it has all shaped who he has become.
As far as the story goes, it was actually relatively unexpected. The film starts very slow, and it seems like it really struggles to find its footing in its own story. The world building it tries to do. The characters are interesting enough, but it’s a tough first 30 minutes. However, once Space Oddity finds itself it becomes more interesting. The romance is intertwined with notes about both Alex and Daisy’s pasts, while also dealing with the family’s issues with the farm and Alex’s space program potentially being bogus. It manages to bundle together quite a few storylines pretty well.
It was most impressive how Space Oddity dealt with mental health issues, PTSD and trauma. It was an integral piece to Alex’s story, and it was really a bold move to make on the part of the creators. It showed how much tragedy can have an impact on a family, and it shows how one thing can throw off the lives of so many people, but family can always find a way to persevere.
Where the film tends to falter is in some of the acting. Particularly Kyle Allen and Carrie Preston, who play’s Alex’s mom, make some interesting character choices that really just don’t work. Alex is supposed to be the shy, awkward boy in town, but it’s not particularly done successfully. His performance has shining moments, but also often comes off as a little flat.
However, that’s not to say that the cast lacks solid performances. Simon Helberg delivers a fun performance as the Russian Dimitri, one of the hired hands on the farm. Both Alexandra Shipp and Kevin Bacon though seem to be acting far beyond the film. It’s evident that they are far more talented than the rest of the cast, and their performances show. Shipp delivers a very nuanced performance as Daisy, and Bacon, playing Alex’s Dad, gives a great performance without having to deliver many lines at all; the looks he gives are enough to tell their own story.
Final Thoughts
Space Oddity, once you move past the first 30 minutes, tells a good story with solid supporting performances. It didn’t drag out its story too long, yet I still found myself connected by the end. If only the film had been able to keep things interesting the whole time. Shipp and Allen deliver on an extremely believable romance with solid chemistry, albeit one that develops much too fast. I found myself rooting for them consistently throughout the film. This film is at its best, however, when it focuses on the family and the farm. That could have been its own movie, and I would have enjoyed it immensely. That said, I still enjoyed the film and I’m sure audiences would too.
