THE SPACE BETWEEN US
A tender Martian romance with serious content for discerning adults.
Should You Watch It?
THE SPACE BETWEEN US is an entertaining, engaging road-trip movie with an unusual premise and appealing performances from Asa Butterfield and Britt Robertson. Its touching moments center on the universal longing to belong, know your roots, and discover that people care for you. The story also includes a pro-life message and a touching moment involving a foster child being taken in by another adult.
But the film’s romantic worldview is strong. The teenagers share a sleeping bag overnight and kiss afterward, with no moral consequences shown. They also steal cars and use deception while running from authorities. Fifteen obscenities and one politically correct environmental statement add further concerns.
The film has real warmth and merit, but its content is not suitable for children or young teens. For discerning adults who can weigh the romantic material, it is worth the trip — adults only.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESA pregnant astronaut travels to Mars on a NASA mission, where her son, Gardner, is born. After his mother dies, Gardner is raised by the other astronauts and grows up isolated from Earth.
At 16, Gardner begins communicating online with Tulsa, an earthbound foster child. When he finally gets the chance to visit Earth, the two teenagers set out together, as Gardner searches for the father he has never known.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means this is a good, entertaining film with noticeable weaknesses. THE SPACE BETWEEN US is fun, engaging, and congenial, with a unique storyline and appealing performances from Asa Butterfield and Britt Robertson. Their relationship gives the road-trip story much of its charm, while the film’s touching moments provide genuine emotional appeal.
The screenplay is well crafted overall, but it contains several unconvincing leaps of logic and plot holes. Audiences may like the actors and unusual premise enough to overlook those problems. The result is an enjoyable movie that does not fully overcome its weaker story choices.
The Worldview
THE SPACE BETWEEN US is built around a strong Romantic worldview. Gardner and Tulsa quickly fall in love, and the film presents their romance warmly even though they share a sleeping bag overnight and kiss afterward. The movie shows no moral consequences for this behavior.
The film does affirm several meaningful ideas. It presents the quest for belonging, roots, and human care with gentleness. Gardner longs to know his father, while Tulsa’s life as a foster child leads to a touching moment when another key adult takes her in. The story also includes a pro-life message through Gardner’s birth and survival.
The movie includes one politically correct, environmentalist statement about climate change. Its central environmental issue, however, is presented as a matter-of-fact concern about how Earth’s atmosphere affects Gardner’s metabolism, rather than as an environmentalist screed.
The film understands the ache of wanting a family and a place to belong. Scripture gives that longing a deeper answer: “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in” (Psalm 27:10).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong Romantic worldview about a romance between two teenagers, one of whom was born on Mars, with some touching moments (including a pro-life message), but teenagers break their chastity in one implied scene, and there’s a scene where a government official makes a politically correct, environmentalist statement about climate change; 15 obscenities (such as some “d” and a** words) but no profanities; light violence includes mother dies during childbirth and teenagers run away from authorities while Earth’s atmosphere takes its toll on the teenager from Mars; implied fornication when two teenagers share a sleeping bag and kiss, plus teenage boy was born out of wedlock; no nudity, but camera shows two teenagers’ naked shoulders; no alcohol; no smoking or drugs; and, teenagers use deception to escape from authorities so teenage boy can search for his absent father, and teenagers on the run steal a couple cars.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Gardner longs to know where he belongs. What helps a person know that he or she is loved and has a place in a family?
Psalm 27:10 · Romans 8:15Tulsa’s life as a foster child leads to a new expression of family care. How can your family show welcome and care to someone who feels alone?
Romans 12:13 · James 1:27The teenagers share a sleeping bag and kiss, while the film does not show moral consequences. What does Scripture teach about honoring God with our bodies and relationships?
1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 · 1 Corinthians 6:18–20Gardner and Tulsa steal cars and deceive authorities during their search. Can a good goal make a wrong action right?
Romans 3:8 · Micah 6:8The Final Word
THE SPACE BETWEEN US is warm, engaging, and built around a moving longing for belonging. Its romance, implied fornication, language, theft, and deception make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For a family movie night, choose.
