Space Station 76 (2014)

When I heard about Space Station 76 first time I wondered why I have not heard about it before. Science fiction movie that happens in space station that looks and feels 70's sounds interesting idea. Ascension did that for 60's and it worked. Guardians of the Galaxy added 70's music to science fiction. So why I haven't heard about this before?

Reason is that this is adult drama. It doesn't have any action. It is about broken people living on space station where asteroid is heading. People don't know about it. Main character is new co-pilot Jessica, a woman who likes children but can't have one. He works with suicidal gay captain, who is in closet and hasn't got over his break up with previous co-pilot who has left the station. She becomes friend with unhappily married mechanic Ted. Ted's wife cheats him with his friend. Jessica spends time with Ted's daughter Sunshine but her mother doesn't like it.

Sounds like blockbuster doesn't it? For first half I had to force myself to watch this. Movie is slow and literally nothing happens. There were scenes which didn't have any point. We learn the premise quickly. After that it is just watching characters going deeper. Captain tries to kill himself but is always stopped by something. Jessica tries to manage with captain who gets frustrated every time previous co-pilot is mentioned. Ted gets more frustrated with his unhappy marriage. And asteroid is travelling closer to space station.

After half way point movie starts to have topics you don't regularly see on Hollywood movies and it is not as clear what will happen. Everything stays as realistic drama and everything looks and feels 70's. Wikipedia and IMDB say this is comedy but there is very little that is funny. Only things reminding comedy is how this is lighting and style actors act but there is very little that could be considered funny. And even those things doesn't feel funny.

I can't say if Space Station 76 is a good movie or a bad movie. It has unique style and some events you don't expect. After I had to force myself to watch first half, ending left me wanting to see more of this. It ends when things start to get interesting for characters. Movie ends when people start to break from their cycles. I was surprised to learn this movie was R rating. Visually this doesn't have anything that could cause that rating. Themes however are not for kids but R rating is overkill.