The Space Between

This is the story of a battle weary air stewardess who has to return a young Muslim boy to his father following 9/11.

This is a familiar clash of cultures drama lifted way above the mundane by great performances by the leads Melissa Yeo (absolutely outstanding) and Antony Keyvan and a strong supporting cast.

She is the world weary American and he is the frightened young Muslim boy just wanting to get home to his dad. The film explores well the prejudices held by all parties and how easily they can be broken down.

This is simple, moving but beautifully well written and shot film that is a cut above many other higher budget dramas. This film deserves a much wider audience and is well worth a watch.

The Space Between (2010/I) was written and directed by Travis Fine.

It stars Melissa Leo as Montine, an unhappy, worn-out flight attendant who, on 9/11, suddenly has responsibility for a ten-year-old Muslim boy. His name is Omar, and he's portrayed very well by Anthony Keyvan.

The movie is a road movie because it unfolds as Montine and Omar struggle to get back to NYC at a time when all air travel is grounded. They thrust and parry, but a definite fondness grows between them.

Melissa Leo is a brilliant actor, who later won an Oscar. Keyvan is also very, very good in his role. Special mention goes to AnnaSophia Robb, who portrays Montine's niece. She should have won an Oscar for best portrayal of a troubled, angry, depressed teenager.

We saw the film on a small screen, and it worked well. This isn't a brilliant, must-see film, but it establishes the fact that people of different cultures can overcome these cultural differences. They can learn to understand and trust each other, if given the opportunity. That's a very important message for our time.

Currently on Sky Movies Premier, I thought I'd give this a try.

At first I found the time and setting rather manipulative and possibly distasteful - why bring back yet more flashbacks and memories of 9/11 - and just for the sake of a rather mawkish drama.

A Muslim Pakistani taxi driver sends his ten year old to LA on a plane, on Sept 11. He also works in a restaurant at the Top of the World Trade Centre. A fed-up mature air steward who has a habit of speaking her mind gets stuck with the boy when the plane is emergency grounded after the attacks. She then attempts to try and connect the boy with his father - and connect with the kid herself, but culture and religious clashes hinder at every turn.

There's a load of implausibilities to contend with too and writer/director Travis Fine mixes every modern directorial cliché in the book at it. The ten year old Pakistani boy is typically precocious, doesn't eat meat, ice-cream or anything 'normal' at all. He's also a right clever little person.

But holding it together is the great performance by Melissa Leo, who won an Oscar for best supporting actress in The Fighter, 2010. Almost too predictably, she's hard drinking, scornful, rough round the edges and bitter. She's strangely unaffected by her country being sent into turmoil and chaos. Chuck these human flaws around a Muslim ten year old with naive and hopelessly idealistic attitudes and it's a recipe for conflict, anger and yes, tenderness. In my view, these are the reasons to watch this movie.

These aspects and the road movie elements remind me of Walter Salle's Brazilian 'Central Station' but that is a FAR better movie in every respect.

I wouldn't have normally watched this movie given its subject and type and I'm still in two minds as to whether it was worth my time. It's not all bad, by quite a way but will fall under most people's radar - and understandably so.

The story unfolds really well. It does not attempt to forward some kind of touchy-feely message for Muslims. It does show a little violence, but not much of that, nor is it harsh in explicit language.

It does not center on the 9/11 tragedy, but it is about a boy and a woman who need to work around the problems of a grounded nation. If you are looking for a movie to watch on a Sunday afternoon, I highly recommend this movie.

Really, the feel of the movie does include caring about people who are not like each other. The dialogue and interaction between the actors is both realistic and inspiring.

A classic film set amidst the chaos of grounded flights on 9 11. The clash of American working class woman vs young Muslim boy, him desperate to return to his father, her keen to be free of responsibility for someone elses child, but required to take care of him. In the situation, they are forced to travel together & in the process, connect with each others situation & form a bond through the process. Not an enjoyable romp, given the tragic situation, but being human becomes the key aspect to this film.