See You On Venus Review – Bright Palette, Bland Plot
A teenager is about to jump to his death when a spirited girl stops him and then barges into his home uninvited, offering him an all-expenses-paid trip to Spain for 10 days. Yeah, the teen romantic drama “See You On Venus” could prove to be a little too silly for some of us. Reverse the genders and you have a creepy stalker on your hands.
Directed by Joaquín Llamas and written by Victoria Vinuesa, the 2023 romance stars Alex Aiono as protagonist Kyle, who was in a fatal car-pile-up that killed one of his classmates and crippled a close friend. While Alex escapes unhurt, he loses his zeal for life and even ignores a coveted college scholarship. Just when he is about to give up everything, he meets Mia (Virginia Gardner), an energetic annoying girl his age, who stops him from killing himself and then takes him on a road-trip. So the story follows how Alex and Mia start out as complete strangers and slowly fall in love as they travel together. Alex is the serious, ruminative male lead battling trauma, and he doesn’t even attempt to make any conversation with Mia at first, but the boisterous, overenthusiastic girl manages to win him over. (Obviously.)
Thanks to the “Spain road trip” plot, the cinematography of the film is bright, beautiful, with lots of scenic shots of tourist places. Getting to look at some of the pretty picturesque backgrounds was the most enjoyable thing about this movie, because the plot is absurdly optimistic. The writers stuff a whole bunch of cliches into the tale, including the far-fetched idea that some sun, sand and a blooming romance can cure away crippling depression in less than two weeks. If it only were that easy.
A “Lion”-like plot (the 2016 movie starring Dev Patel & Nicole Kidman) involving Mia’s attempt to find her birth mother makes things interesting, but in the end, when an emotional re-union does take place, viewers don’t even get to hear what transpires. Suddenly, Mia’s life-long dream takes a backseat over her newfound romance for a guy she’s known for a few days. Besides, Alex Aiono and Virginia Gardner have very little romantic chemistry as leads Kyle and Mia. The awkward silences between them were a lot more convincing than their contrived affection. The story would’ve been a lot more likable if it was a “strangers to friends” tale, than the exaggerated “strangers to lovers” progression.
Cliches can be cute and entertaining in some romantic films, “See You On Venus” wasn’t it. With a minor plot tweaks, the movie would’ve been a lot better.
Rating: 5 on 10. You can stream “See You On Venus” on Netflix.
Read Next: Congrats My Ex! Review – Everybody Wins, Save the Bride
Also Read: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off Review (Audio Version Below)
