SPACE ODDITY

US, 2022, 95 minutes, Colour.

Kyle Allen, Alexandra Shipp, Madeleine Brewer, Simon Helberg, Carrie Preston, Kevin Bacon, Alfre Woodard.

Directed by Kyra Sedgwick.

Perhaps a bit dangerous to use the word “oddity” in the title. And this film is something of an oddity, but a more thoughtful oddity. It has been directed by actress and director, Kyra Sedgwick, and features her husband, Kevin Bacon, as the father of the odd family.

The focus is on the son and the family, Alex, an interesting sometimes laid-back, sometimes aggressive, performance by Kyle Allen. We learn that there is grief in the family, the death in an accident of the older brother, Alex in the car. This weighs heavily on the grieving mother, Carrie Preston, on the professional gardener father and on the very businesslike daughter, Liz, played by Madeleine Brewer.

All might have been well if Alex were not brooding, wanting out of this world, caught up with a group who are planning an expedition to Mars, a one-way trip, an opportunity to make a better world. His mother goes along with it. His father, wanting to hand on the garden to his son, is patient, impatient. And his pragmatic sister cannot understand it at all. A visit to the sympathetic therapist, Alfre Woodard, conversations with the Russian assistant in the garden work, Simon Helberg.

The main interaction is with Daisy, Alexandra Shipp, who had wanted to be a successful swimmer, now works in her uncle’s insurance firm, has to deal with Alex and the legal consequences of insurance for his journey. She becomes the catalyst for his emotions, for testing his strength of intentions on Mars, for, so to speak, helping bring him down-to-earth.

This is a film of many details, in the garden, Alex contemplating himself and his physical preparations for his journey, difficult interactions with Daisy.

1. The title, offputting? Yet accurate concerning Alex?
2. The ordinary American town, home, the extensive gardens and greenhouse, the streets, children playing, offices, atmosphere? The musical score?
3. A film about identity, about grief and its consequences, about mental conditions, mental illness, obsessions and delusions?
4. Alex’s story, his room, the background of Mars, looking in the mirror, assessing himself? Explaining his ambition, to go to Mars, one way ticket, ready to leave Earth, ready to leave his family? His preparations, exercise, jogging, plants and seeds and fostering them…? The contact with the agency and the enthusiasm of the controller?
5. Alex and his family, his father, running the garden, getting older, thinking of selling, offering it to Alex and his refusal, his relationship with Liz, her absence, return, PR expertise, wanting to control him? His mother, her devotion to him? The background of his dead brother, the revelation of the car crash? The effect of the dead brother, favourite, his absence, grief?
6. Alex, dissatisfaction with Earth, wanting a new start, pioneering? The challenges with space? Its mystery? Its challenge? His explanations of himself?
7. His visit to the doctor, her questions, conversations, affirming him, challenging him? Certificating him? The families later visit to her, confidentiality, her explanations?
8. Financial issues, insurance, the encounter with Daisy, in the street, going to the office, her interviewing him, her scepticism? The initial attraction? Accompanying him to the gym, to the first-aid sessions? Talking, her story, wanting to be a swimmer, failing, coming to her home town, working in the insurance office, the meetings with Alex and the discussions about insurance? Going out, social, drinking, the sexual encounter and the consequences? Her accompanying him on jogging? Going with him to the mission control, her disillusionment? Her explanation of her cheating and taking the drugs, Alex turning it against her, her being upset?
9. The children, the games, the marshmallows, space? Building the space ship and the enjoyment of the takeoff?
10. Alex and his discussions with his father, refusing to inherit the garden, his friendship with Dimitri, the discussions, Dimitri at the family table? Daisy coming to meet the family? His father confronting him? Alex’s reaction, tearing up all the flowers? His father telling him to replant and his obeying?
11. The visit to the mission control, the truth about being an obsession and hobby? The consequences?
12. Daisy, suggestions to work for NASA, his inventions, the discussions with Dimitri and encouragement?
13. His change of heart, meeting Daisy, the apology?
14. Reconciling reconciliation within the family, his father’s future, Liz and her PR job, being at home, with the flowers, taking over? Calming his emotional mother?