Tribeca 2022: Space Oddity Review

This will be one of several reviews from this year’s Tribeca film Festival. To follow our coverage, click here.

Coming-of-age stories ultimately work if they can resonate with audiences who can see themselves in some form in them. That being said, there have still been countless ones therefore the answer is how it develops that connection. It’s a fine line for filmmakers but Space Oddity, while not perfect by any means, is a film that arguably finds that line through a grounded and relatable story propelled by incredible heart and a charming lead performance from Kyle Allen. Though the film has some vision, it doesn’t bring all that much new to the table. As an actress, she shows a great handle of what is essentially an ensemble piece with a strong supporting cast alongside Allen. Running at a relatively short running time around the 90 minute mark, the film certainly makes the most out of it with heart and a quick pace ensuring that it does not wear out its welcome.

Space Oddity follows Alex McAllister (Allen), a young man with dreams of going to space, specifically Mars. Whether or not it was realistic, space was his calling and his purpose in life so his close-knit still supported him despite having other plans for him. However, their feelings were tested once Alex signed up for a program that would potentially send him on a one-way trip to Mars. Though the prospect of not getting to see him ever again made it feel real to the rest of the McAllister family, he remained enthusiastic as he continued to prepare for the mission. Meanwhile, his story also put him and his family in the spotlight which only put more pressure on them. Focusing on a life on Mars, Alex was perhaps looking past his family and friends and life on Earth. Reminding him of that was a woman named Daisy (Shipp), an insurance agent for whom he sought a life insurance policy before presumably leaving for Mars. Their relationship quickly became more than a professional one as the two developed feelings for one another thus aggravating that internal conflict within Alex and forcing him to rethink his calling.

In the end, the best part of Space Oddity was its performances and that begins with Allen as Alex. Delivering a charming and charismatic lead performance, he carries the film with his likability and relatability, making it easy to connect with him on an emotional level. His chemistry with Shipp, who was also fun to watch, was another highlight.

Space Oddity is another solid coming-of-age story that doesn’t reinvent the wheel but isn’t the worst way to spend 90 or so minutes.

still courtesy of Tribeca

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.