The new entry in the genre is a treat for fans of the YA book-to-screen adaptations. It’s Next on the theatrical schedule after See You on Venus followed by other adaptations like After Everything and Boot Camp released later this year.
Mia (Virginia Gardner) and Kyle (Alex Aiono) are the main characters in See You on Venus, who go through Spain to find Mia’s mother. She doesn’t have any idea about her family because she has spent most of her life in foster care. But she does know one thing; based on careful research, there are at least ten names that could potentially be her birth mother’s. Kyle needs to get over his grief after he lost his friend in an accident and his parents think that going away to Spain will help him forget all about it. Nothing ties them together before they left but something happens during their journey which is worth seeing upon.
Although See You on Venus checks off all of these tropes, it is different from your typical YA romance due to its setting and message.
At first sight, See You On Venus may look like those other Y.A Romance shows where teenagers fall in love within a very short time frame that is quite unrealistic though. This love story is however primarily focused on two people who are loneliest when they are together; not through normal avenues such as being bullied or changing schools.
Mia knows almost nothing about her birth family despite having grown up with a foster family; only necklace and birth certificate provide some information for her. However, Mia also has a condition that complicates things even further for her plan while also showing why her quest means so much. It was just lovely to watch how she travelled all that way just to change something because it did not work out well.
He hasn’t been himself since the car accident happened according to police reports which have made his parents extremely worried.” It might not really be depression, but he is definitely under a lot of grief and remorse as he was the one driving the car. After she met him in an alarming way, Mia takes Kyle with her on his plane. He not only confides in her, but also makes a realization about why he had that accident which would affect on how he should live after that.
Finally, both teenagers also discover they don’t have to have their actions define who they are. The world doesn’t condemn Mia to be a victim of circumstances and Kyle can let go of what is probably the worst period in one’s life. It serves as a good reminder even for teenagers today that regardless of one’s upbringing or those things they may have been exposed to, there is still room for them to choose whatever direction their lives will take. When compared to other YA novels considering their themes; this one seems better among them all.
Most YA romance films are set in a school. Occasionally they happen at popular summer activities like the public pool or summer camp. However, See You on Venus takes its characters on a road trip but not as seen elsewhere.
A journey to Spain is perfectly suited for the given message of the film that it wants to pass to the viewers. The romanticism of the location together with this requirement to get outside of their comfort zones creates an ideal environment for them to respond under pressure. And responded indeed they did.
Both Kyle and Mia have multiple emotions, which add depth to this otherwise one-dimensional film every time the two teenagers go through Spain before even starting their trip. This is because both Gardner and Aiono played well.
In particular, in early stages of the movie, Aiono’s moments of grief and hurt are strong and emotional, showing Kyle’s emotions clearly so that there can be a good base upon which the plot can develop from here. Even as Aiono’s character feelings change with events unfolding throughout the story he still upholds his performance well till near end of this film.
Gardner does not stop impressing us with her acting skills even in See You on Venus where she plays a different role compared to other movies. She demonstrates well Mia who is always cheerful infecting others around her with optimism even during most difficult times in this movie. The actress uses her face expressions wisely by displaying shallow emotions that grow deeper as her face changes together with dialogues leading audiences into deep thoughts.
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