The Space Between Us is an odd film. It’s not Great Art and it isn’t great fun, but it has some beautiful moments, some fine acting performances, and its heart in the right place. I have to be careful writing about it, and I recommend not watching any trailers for it, because the other thing it has going for it is that, at least twice, it turns out not to be what you’re expecting it to be (despite being predictable in other ways).

Don’t watch it for a space adventure—although much of it is set in space and the effects are excellent for its budget. Don’t watch it for an art house experience—though it does have an indie vibe about it. If, however, you aren’t prejudiced against laid back romcoms or kid-friendly coming-of-age films, there are many small pleasures to take from it, especially if you’ve ever had a relationship with someone that, despite everything else, is simply impractical. One moment in particular, which should have been cheesy as hell, was moving because of the natural warmth of the protagonists and the carefully established innocence of the mouth out of which the words emerged—and, yes, because good actors can sometimes rescue weak scriptwriting.

You can watch it for “free” if you have Amazon Prime. That’s not a paid ad, because I probably wouldn’t have paid to see it, but I don’t begrudge its makers the time I spent watching it.