User Reviews

Florida bartender Rex Simpson (Emma Roberts) had always dreamed of being an astronaut. She didn't go to college in order to care for her dying mother and then her heart-broken father. After attending her ten year high school reunion, she comes to the conclusion that she's wasting her life and applies to NASA.

This is trying to be Legally Blonde with NASA. It's dumb, but it's not dumb enough to be ridiculously fun. It's also not smart enough to be any good. First, Rex needs to show her superior intellect despite her lack of education. See Good Will Hunting. My suggestion would be for her to work on their haunted house with her dad being helpless. It's already problematic with her lying. It's really problematic for her to fly the plane and endangering Elvis. I guess they really wanted Emma Roberts doing some girly screaming. My second suggestion is the G-force simulator. She can scream there. This seems to be aiming for those dumb 80's comedies and it's not that far off.

Not every movie is destined for an Academy award. Many of those movies, are ones that I have never seen and/or was very disappointed when I did watch one. Sometimes it's fun just to have a movie that makes you smile and laugh and walk away Feeling good. I say, what is wrong with that?

This one did just that for me, and I think anyone that watches it, going into it with the same thought that I had, will enjoy it as well. The cast seem to very well together and yes, it may seem very unlikely that any of this could happen, is that not what movies are, to take us to places of dreams and just make us forget about all of the bad things that might be happening in the world, especially today.

Greetings again from the darkness. We have accepted that a bartender can get elected as a United States Senator, and writer-director Liz W Garcia would have us believe a bartender may also become an astronaut ... but only after submitting a fraudulent application with details, accomplishments, and references that NASA wouldn't bother verifying until after admission into the program.

Of course, we know going in that Garcia's film is a comedy, and in no way should be compared to the fine film, A MILLION MILES AWAY (2023), a biopic on Jose Hernandez, a farm worker who actually accomplished the things required to become an astronaut. "Rex" (played by Emma Roberts, daughter of Eric and niece to Julia) is a party girl bartender attending her 10-year high school reunion with her BFF Nadine (Poppy Liu, "Hacks"). We learn Rex had a childhood dream of going to space - a dream fully supported by her mother, who has since passed. Rex's strong academic record gained her admission to college, but mom's death seemed to knock her off the space track and into a life of parties and pouring drinks and dressing like a 13-year-old girl.

With a newfound inspiration, Rex fires off a heartfelt letter to NASA asking for admission into the program. The letter is intercepted and, well, enhanced, by a well-meaning Nadine. Soon, Rex is packing up her bedazzled clothes and heading to NASA. Program directors Logan O'Leary (a heavily lipsticked Tom Hopper, I FEEL PRETTY, 2018) and Pam Proctor (Gabrielle Union, BRING IT ON, 2000) aren't sure what to make of Rex, though remain impressed with her application, even as she excels in leadership and flounders in technical aspects.

The ASCANS (Astronaut Candidate) program is not realistically depicted here, and it's not surprising that Rex survives each round of cuts. And yes, we all know where this is headed, as surprise is not a factor in any aspect of this film. The film's title is obviously a play on words, and if you somehow believe more cringe is needed, a budding romance (also obvious) is tossed in to make sure no one takes this NASA seriously. The ending takes us right where we know we're headed, and we find ourselves wondering why any filmmaker, much less a female filmmaker, would purposefully portray an intelligent woman in this flighty manner. Comedies are no doubt tough to execute, but the best are grounded in some form of reality. Perhaps there's a bartender out there somewhere that will cure cancer or solve world hunger. Let's just hope fraudulent applications aren't the new norm.

Releases on Prime Video on July 4, 2024.

No spoilers here; this movie is of a type, so you do not need to know specifics. Millennial Movies feature situation-driven, dialogue-based plots. The characters are all caricatures. They are overly-demonstrative and exaggerated in their words and actions in order to make sure you know what stereotypical social role these characters play, but they never develop internally. The scenario does it for them. Every action must be symbolic of their situation, and each action must be repeated and then discussed. No character takes action without a conversation before and one after. In short, it is like watching a podcast or a finger puppet show created by someone who took public school classes on screenwriting. All of these movies are intensely boring because they are inefficient and the people in them are plastic imitators of real people. If you are a narcissist, they make perfect sense because you view people as their external situation anyway since this is how you manipulate them. To real humans, this stuff is not just unconvincing but obvious and manipulative, and so if you have read and understood this far, just walk away.

Even as a farce comedy, Space Cadet is just awful. One star only because there are under educated individuals who possess real genius. Other than that, there is not a single believable moment in this movie. Better writing and character development (first year of film class) could have saved this disaster. I am not sure how Space Cadet got the green light in the first place. All scripts go through the rewrite phase, so I can only imagine hiw bad the first draft could have been. I would have rather Emma Robert's just saved the manatees and skipped the NASA fiasco all together. Please do not make a sequel.

Let me just start by answering the big question: Is Space Cadet an objectively "good" movie? Well, on a technical level the answer is simple: No, it comes nowhere close to being a good movie. The plot is ridiculous beyond belief and there is nothing that can change that. If someone in real life would even attempt what Rex Simmons, our main character, did in this movie he or she would probably be caught at the first step.

But does that make Space Cadet a bad watch? Well not if you ask me. Because at the end of the day it really doesn't matter if a movie is realistic or not, and at the core of it all there is a charming and possibly even inspiring movie here if you know what your getting into.

So, at the end of the day it all comes down to expectations: If you're expecting a hyper realistic movie here you're not getting it, but if you just want a fun, casual and charming fish-out-of-water story that you can just watch without thinking about it I'm sure you'll enjoy this movie as much as I did.

Uneducated-bartender child turns out to be one of the best prospects on the "AsCans" (astronaut cadet) group ... because she took a chance on herself and life.

Sadly, this feels cheap and uninteresting, with a lot of uninspiring dialogue and forgettable moments. With a throwaway romance with an awkward fellow, expected and forced low-point caused by revelations and truths. Not even the cast is good! Probably due to the overly-quirky characters they were assigned and the awful script. And Emma Roberts, who remains cute and charming, is a terrible fit for this leading role.. The movie does seem to have a core and a message, but it is so tepid, it doesn't really reach the viewer.

All in all, they didn't even try to make this worth anyone's time.. and the more I think about it, the lower the score goes.

It's a feel good comedy, the characters are likeable. Emma Roberts joins a NASA training program even though she's completely incompetent. The premise is ridiculous and not very realistic at all but so what. It leads to many funny moments and positive messages about friendship and working together.

Even though the main character is a Florida party girl the movie is family friendly. It's almost a bit childish at times, absolutely no violence or bad words.

Acting is solid even if the characters are a bit cliche. As long as you can not overthink the movie and enjoy it for what it is you will have a good time.

This starts out as a story of what might have been if you made every right choice, took every right chance in your life. And if you could grab that opportunity but you had to bend the rules a wee bit... would you succeed?

It's warm and fuzzy and yes, a totally bonkers plot.

But if you look past that it's also a story about friendship, courage and never giving up on your dreams... or yourself.

Roberts is so lovable in this, you can't help but root for her. Her redemption arc is obviously as far fetched as they come but it's still so entertaining. Hopper and Union perform really well as the strait laced duo against Roberts more free living character.

I liked it for what it was. Goofy, implausible, escapism.

Emma Roberts must be desperate for roles. This movie was just horrible. Rex (really?) is a bartender in Florida that applies to NASA, though, without her knowing, her friend makes up a whole bunch of lies for her to get into NASA. Here is the problem with that... does anyone think that NASA doesn't check people out BEFORE inviting them?

The entire movie was unusually cheap. They clearly didn't have NASA's permission so a cheap logo was used. Most of the things that her fellow trainees did looked cheap and like a soundstage and in the end, they wanted me to believe that they would give a plane to someone to fly that they hadn't checked out yet?

It just really had nothing going for it.

I'm concerned for whomever wrote this and more so whomever greenlit this movie. I can only believe they were having a medical emergency to allow this movie to happen. It's kind of like a college kid on shrooms wrote it. At one point she wrestles a meteor and imagines it's an alligator.

The whole movie makes no sense, the chemistry between her and the main guy is weird, and the characters aren't even likeable. It was light-hearted which is why I even gave it 3 stars. I like campy movies but this wasn't even in that category. My Wife was mad at me for even putting it on and I must admit - I was ashamed and embarrassed.

Please suspend all disbelieves for the entirety of this movie. I was wondering how it was approved to be made.

The message i take from this movie is lie out of your ass on your resume and hope qualified people don't notice ?

To state your a fighter pilot when you have never flown a plane before, then blag it when your in the cockpit. Get found out and the pilot just shrugs it of like a bad ingredient...WTF it was clear they had absolutely not technical advisers on set to check anything was even the slightest bit realistic. To the point the action scene were cartoonish and gravity was irrelevant.

The love interest was like watching a brother and sister try and sleep together. The supporting cast was irrelevant to most of the "story" line and provided absolutely no comic relief.

The diversity casting was a tickly box exercise.. white protagonist CHECK..asain BFF check...black leading lady CHECK... white love interest CHECK... second asian female supporting cast CHECK.. overweight indian female supporting cast CHECK and so on.

This was a rough watch. I am going to start with what I liked which is a short a shorter list.

The goodish: Acting: 4/10 Andrew Call seemed to be one of the only actors who got the tone and timing of his lines. Tom Hopper and Gabrielle Union were also occasionally enjoyable which is a herculean accomplishment with what they were given. Emma Roberts really tries but gets flattened by the writing.

The Bad: Plot: 1/10 This has been compared to a legally blonde for astronauts but there is a massive difference. Legally blonde showed us a very intelligent, driven, and initially superficial character who aced her LSATs, actually worked hard and eventually legitimately graduated with a law degree. Space Cadet shows us a bartender who got her GED, gains admission from a fabricated resume, elaborately covers up the lie while trying to make up the lack of knowledge she has... additional hijinx ensues (I'll avoid spoilers) but at no point is the audience given any indication the main character is actually intelligent. Which is a big miss for a movie attempting to sell intelligent characters. Ultimately the plot seems to settle on "steal your dreams" rather than any other positive message.

Dialogue: 1/10 The script throws some lines in to simulate knowledge but with (verbatim) lines like "I know that space has radioactive density dude, and free streaming neutrinos. Gravitational waves. I mean there has to be a couple other ways the universe could polarize energy flow." It includes real phrases but nonsensically as if plucked from a dictionary. Half of the time it seems that even the very talented Emma Roberts has trouble saying the lines, they are just that clunky and poorly constructed. It also seems like the writer believed snippets like "use the be-dazzler" was an actual funny joke in and of itself where it rings more nonsensical. Then you have lines like "don't you know about white people? They be white peopling" so stale, uttered a million times over the last quarter century across so many movies that it just makes you wonder how a hundred page script let that stay in.

Direction/cinematography/effects/message: 1/10 Nothing of note to say here other than they are bad... really just avoid this one.

***bonus bad dialogue*** "A woman in motion will stay in motion, no matter your concerns about it." ... yikes

I believe it does deserve its final score of 2/10.

This movie has no redeeming qualities. Cast, script, characters, CGI, were all subpar. But I think this was an intentionally bad film. Like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Space Cadet wears its awfulness with pride. There's gravity in space. The main characters are all exaggerated. The story is impossible, and the plot holes are many and vast. But here's the thing. If you stick with this movie, you are forced into a meditative state where you have to suspend your sense of reality completely. You end up no longer watching a movie, Instead you are watching fish swimming around an aquarium, or bonobos frolicking in a zoo. And about three quarters through the movie I had started to laugh at some of the silliness and had warmed to the lead character. Yes, it is an instantly forgettable movie. But one that I am not unhappy I watched. I enjoyed it, just not in the usual sense.

Wow are they still making movies like this?

I mean, the times have changed people. This is a millennial / Gen z stereotype at this point. Does this Emma Roberts person actually get that? I just can't believe that the director, producers, and the studio, seriously think this movie would produce a fan following or even positive reviews.

All the acting is cliche, the characters are rubber stamps, the storyline is absolutely ridiculous, and for some reason the director thought this was going to be a hit. I'm sorry but this is not detached enough from society where you can consider it the next version of "Mean Girls" or "Clueless". Clueless was freaking charming by the way. Hilarious and hit people in their funny bone. This movie is just more of the same old crap that we've been fed by the studios that are just churning out crap in the "Universe". Let's say the actors and storyline is very, "Mickey Mouse". Doomed to fail.

Good luck if this is what you're planning to continue producing, people are tuning out.

It's a fun movie! If you liked Legally Blonde, you will like this movie. It's a fun, lighthearted movie and not to be taken seriously. A classic tale of "you can do accomplish anything, when you believe in yourself." Sure, some of the secondary characters were a bit too OTT with their acting and could have toned it down a notch, but the main character, Rex, she's adorable. People have suddenly gotten all serious and judgy because it's about a blonde young thing gettting into NASA ... like females, blondes, and the havers of fun cannot be smart and scientific as well. Those people can crawl back to the last century, This movie was a nice escape; a break from stressful life. I giggled and felt good at the end. It certainly did not deserve such a slamming.

So, what do you do if you want to make a movie but don't have a story, actors, or screenwriter? Well... you do a pretend movie. And this is another one of them.

There's no real people in this movie, just characters that are card board copies of real people. They kind of act like real people, but all in exsaggerated and cartoonish ways. No one takes any action without talk, talk, talk. But... they don't really say anything. The just rambles on. And every line has to be funny - but off course none of them are. Everyone are just tiresome.

I understand that they try to make comedy; but comedy has to be groundes in real people and reality to be funny. What a boring movie.

It's a fun, campy, light hearted, unserious movie.

It is reminiscent of early 2000s movies of the same genre.

This film had both me and my husband CACKLING....even cringing during certain parts like the flirting between Rex and Logan....or when she flies the plane.....we were dying inside.

I think the overall film is very reminiscent of one of my favorites, legally blonde.

Both stories feature characters whom dont sacrifice their authenticity to reach their goals.

Both characters are positive, supportive, and kind hearted, even to those not so kind to them...... What's not to love about that?

People often judge "Space Cadet" as a "fake it till you make it" kind of film, but it's important to remember that this movie is a comedy. The determination and ambition of Rex (played by Emma Roberts), along with her friend Nadine's unwavering support in helping her achieve her dreams, make this film truly engaging. Unlike some movies, "Space Cadet" showcases a type of perseverance and effort that resonates with viewers, allowing them to see a piece of themselves in the characters.

Given that the film is a comedy, the lack of realism in some aspects doesn't bother me at all. If you pay attention, there isn't a romantic subplot between Logan and Rex. Instead, we see Rex working hard and succeeding through sheer determination. This approach is refreshing and adds depth to the comedy, making "Space Cadet" a delightful watch.

This movie is very below average. The premise is that the main character Rex is very smart but did not go to college so now works at a bar. She sees a successful person from her past and that gives her motivation to finally follow her dreams and become an astronaut. She wrote an application then her friend changed it to make it seem like she qualified so she would get in once she does the movie starts. The main point of this is the comedy and the jokes were poor. I laughed one time which was at the treadmill scene. I don't know if the acting is terrible or if the directing is to blame but either way I don't like it to add on that the lines are stupid. Everything that happens from beginning until the end is totally illogical and generally stupid. Lastly the pacing sucks. The only reason I gave this a 5 star rating is because it was entertaining enough.

Embarassingly bad. I'm not sure there is a redeeming quality or scene in this movie. Don't waste your time watching. I should have shut it off after the ridiculous first 15 minutes. I thought perhaps there might be some cute, funny moments. Or something approaching any shred of realistic consequences or sequence of events. I think it would be challenging for even an idealistic 6-year-old to find any of the moments in this movie plausible. I feel bad for the actors involved in this movie because they never even had a chance to act with the script they were provided. Not funny. Not charming. Not romantic. Just brain dead.

I'm a entrepreneur. And I know how hard is to raise funds. I have seen dozens of good ideas pitched and get zero investment.

Is really tough.

That's why it baffles me who is the kind of people that reads this script and says "my god, I'm going to put my hard earned money into this"

What happens into this investors mind next?

• you know what?, let's cast a lead devoid of charisma.

• Better!! Let's give millions of dollars to an inexperienced Director!! That will make my investment solid.

This last point is my real question... NO INDUSTRY but Hollywood would give millions of dollars to a complete unknown.

When is the exact moment you realize you just invested in a pile of garbage?

When you see this trailer (you hate the movie just watching the trailer)

I tried to like this. I really did... I let some of the early missteps go....

But 20 minutes in I realized I'm not a 12 year old girl, with a, well, somewhat superficial view of the world in general. In short, I am clearly NOT the audience this film is aimed at.

It was not entertaining or engaging in any way for me. The social aspects are just so far detached from actual reality for me I couldn't forgive the nature of it trying to portray a real-life adventure, even if fictional in nature.

Is this really what social circles are like for 17-25 year olds now?? I wouldn't know. But if this is even remotely close to reality. Just wow. It would drive me crazy.

Basically.. this is made for the "Barbie" crowd, not for adults with brains.

Your pre-teen daughter may LOVE this film... everyone else should just pass on it.