Space is rife territory for an original romantic comedy, especially one about long distance relationships. "Moonshot," which places young adults on a slow adventure to Mars that's basically a road trip through the final frontier, doesn't take advantage of this enough. But it's an amusing diversion because of the two mismatched people at the center played by Cole Sprouse and Lana Condor. "Moonshot" does not concern the moon but Mars, a planet in which some people live. The year is 2049, and barista assistant Walt (Sprouse) is fixated on getting to Mars, having applied over 30 times to the Kovi space program and being rejected. His desire is enflamed even more when he instantly falls for a future astronaut named Ginny (Emily Rudd), who hops on a shuttle the morning after they meet. Sharing Walt's woes, though not seeing eye-to-eye, is Sophie (Condor), whose boyfriend Calvin (Mason Gooding) is up on Mars and will be for a long time. Walt and Sophie become an unlikely pair, mostly in that Walt's fast-talking ways and clinginess somehow convince Sophie to sneak him into the ship she's boarding, after she finally decides to buy a "civilian" ride for nearly a million dollars. Desperate to be with Ginny, he rides up in an escape pod, and then when it's time for the voyage to Mars from a station, he plans on hiding in the air ducts."Moonshot" is the kind of movie that's frustrating because of what makes it endearing-there's so much that makes you wish it were more original. No rom-com set in space should feel this ordinary. Kovi has some plans for stowaway Walt that are, endemically, inconsequential and cute at best. Even this change of course in the third act is a bit rushed and emotionally underwhelming, despite the anticipation of Mars as the planet where relationships are long-distance no more. Now playing on HBO MAX, and Only on HBO Max.

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