SPACE ODDITY – Review by T.J. Callahan
Space Oddity: Everything that makes us great was once an insane idea.
Kevin Bacon is one degree of separation from his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, as he co-stars in her directorial theatrical feature debut. Bacon plays a flower farmer who is trying to keep his family’s legacy business alive on Earth while supporting his troubled son’s wish to live on Mars in Space Oddity.
As a matter of fact, all women are at the helm in behind the scenes jobs of this family friendly romantic comedy that’s all about the latitude a small Rhode Island town gives to one of its grieving sons.
Alex, played by Kyle Allen, dreams of being an astronaut and colonizing Mars, a fantasy he shared with his deceased brother, Thomas. Disillusioned with Earth, Alex hangs on to the idea that he will be chosen by the administrators of Mission Mars, a privately funded project project that will send him on a one way journey to the Red Planet. His parents, sister and friends are all skeptical about the project’s authenticity, but humor Alex because he finally has a sense of purpose and direction after a tragic accident changed his life’s trajectory.
Space Oddity tries to delve into the issues of trauma, climate change, farming and relationships, but all it does is tap on them lightly. Rebecca Banner’s screenplay doesn’t dive deep enough into one subject to make a more compelling story of why this rare bird needs to soar to new heights outside his own solar system.
Space Oddity is more Hallmark than hard hitting, but that makes for an easy watch, and with a PG-13 rating, something the whole crew can see together. Alex says space is safe and so was Sedgwick with her storytelling. That’s ok, as long as you know that when you buckle up for the ride. Space Oddity gets a 5 out of 10.
