Space Cadet

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2:03

Space Cadet

PG-13

2024

1h 50m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

29%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

31%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Tiffany "Rex" Simpson (Emma Roberts) has always dreamed of going to space, but life isn't going quite as planned. Determined to turn things around, she aims high and with the embellishing touch of her supportive best friend Nadine (Poppy Liu), her "doctored" application lands her in NASA's ultra-competitive astronaut training program. In over her head, Rex relies on her quick wits, moxie and determination to get to the top of her class. NASA program directors Pam (Gabrielle Union) and Logan (Tom Hopper) certainly take notice, but can this Florida girl get through training and into the cosmos before she blows her cover?

Critics Consensus

Never achieving liftoff despite Emma Roberts' peppy performance, Space Cadet flunks out of the school of high-concept comedy.

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Nell Minow

RogerEbert.com

Writer/director Liz W. Garcia plays it safe here, with a result that has no surprises but is effectively entertaining, thanks largely to Roberts’ performance.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jul 7, 2024

Full Review

Benjamin Lee

Guardian

Films like Space Cadet should feel graceful and light, going down easy like the many sweet cocktails we see Rex prepare, but this one is hopelessly muddled, a bitter first sip that proceeds to curdle.

Rated: 1/5

Jul 5, 2024

Full Review

John Nugent

Empire Magazine

It purports to celebrate the pursuit of science, but this film may have single-handedly set the space programme back a decade.

Rated: 2/5

Jul 5, 2024

Full Review

Kathryn Miller

Loud and Clear Reviews

Spacey in more ways than one, Space Cadet is a frivolous and dizzying adventure that makes space camp 'camp'.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 16, 2025

Full Review

Louisa Moore

Screen Zealots

Roberts carries the film with her charm and comedic timing, making even the corniest bits feel a lot more fun than they should. Overall, this one is too rough to recommend.

Feb 4, 2025

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

It’s impossible to look past the absurdity no matter how hard you try. As a result, not only does the story suffer but the characters do as well. They’re all so thinly written and as unconvincing as the silly tale they’re handcuffed to.

Rated: 1.5/5

Jul 16, 2024

Full Review

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Freja l

1h 51 min of my life wasted

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/25

Full Review

Sara D

This must be the most absurd movie of all time. It has a couple of short funny moments.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/25

Full Review

Mac F

if you are willing to suspend your disbelief that an official NASA program would fail to do even the slightest amount of background check on our protagonists prior to admitting her, and allow her back onto the premises again after she is found out to be a fraud- it’s very fun! some friends and i genuinely laughed and chatted about the plot during the film so i’d recommend it for a group watch for sure :)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/22/25

Full Review

Ed R

Poorly written. A large lack of humor.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/07/25

Full Review

Audience Member

The film veers into fantasy territory, particularly when a woman with no formal training in astronomy, who sees it as a mere hobby, is selected as one of the top five candidates. This is especially jarring considering she outperforms individuals who have dedicated their lives to academic pursuits in the field. The friend's character is particularly irritating, and the protagonist's lack of anger towards her is baffling. Rex's actions should have had more serious consequences, perhaps even leading to arrest, rather than a simple escort by security. While the film is intended as a light comedy, the level of unreality is excessive. The love interest character lacks charisma, reduced to a stereotypical "nerd" archetype who exists solely to fall in love with the protagonist. Finally, the Rex's interest in astronomy is portrayed as superficial, limited to hobbyist-level knowledge. The script could have benefited from more depth and nuance in her dialogue, exploring genuine passion and expertise rather than relying on easily accessible information.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/02/24

Full Review

Kashgar A

This movie is an embarrassment. Hysterical acting, poor writing, truly inappropriate in so many ways…just yuck

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/13/24

Full Review

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Liz W. Garcia

Director

Emma Roberts

Rex Simpson

Tom Hopper

Logan O'Leary

Poppy Liu

Nadine Cai

Gabrielle Union

Pam Proctor

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Space Cadet: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Tiffany "Rex" Simpson (Emma Roberts) has always dreamed of going to space, but life isn't going quite as planned. Determined to turn things around, she aims high and with the embellishing touch of her supportive best friend Nadine (Poppy Liu), her "doctored" application lands her in NASA's ultra-competitive astronaut training program. In over her head, Rex relies on her quick wits, moxie and determination to get to the top of her class. NASA program directors Pam (Gabrielle Union) and Logan (Tom Hopper) certainly take notice, but can this Florida girl get through training and into the cosmos before she blows her cover?

Director: Liz W. Garcia
Producer: Jon Berg, Greg Silverman
Screenwriter: Liz W. Garcia
Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios
Production Co: Stampede Ventures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 4, 2024
Runtime: 1h 50m