I suspect Stowaway won’t work for a number of people… either because it’s too “slow” or, for the science enthusiasts, has some floaty physics. But it worked for me. And it works BECAUSE it was slow and methodical and, yes, less so for its logic flaws, but I think it ultimately worked on both an intellectual and emotional level.

The film takes its cues from the classic (and tragic) science fiction short story The Cold Equation. Three astronauts on a mission to Mars find a stowaway on board. The man, a member of the launch crew, is shocked to find himself aboard but is willing to put in the work to justify his time on the two years trip. But resources are tight and the cold, hard facts are they won’t all make it with the remaining oxygen.

While some of the physics of the movie are wobbly, the movie, despite this, is about smart people making tough decisions. The fact the movie goes for problem solving over being suspense, thrills, or melodrama is to its credit. I had some quibbles with some of the setup and the payoff irked me, but I think getting there was good work. I think the films sins towards science and physics are forgiven by its virtues in science and physics. A movie that gets half-way there is still half-way further than many science fiction films bother to go.

The cast is a real treat, especially since I didn’t know who was in the film going in. I had this “hey, she looks like Anna Kendrick” moment… and it was Anna Kendrick. Followed by Toni Collette and Daniel Dae Kim… all three actors I enjoy and who can handle the smarts and the emotions asked of them. The odd-man-out was Shamier Anderson as the stowaway… perhaps deliberately cast compared to more name brand actors. He had to work to convince me of who his character was and, more importantly, what kind of movie this was going to be. He did a good job.

I think if you demand slam bang action and find slower paced movies dull or if you are the type who demands 100% scientific rigor, the movie won’t work for you. The more realistic a sci-fi movie tries to be, the more its failings usually bug me (hi Ad Astra) but this one married its attempts at realism with a story structure that honored science and reason so it was a net positive. And, even with that, the emotional payoff (while the final decision rankled) was still powerful and earned. I liked this one.

Score: 86