Director-Writer Mike Timm’s passion project is a movie that jumps back and forth between fantasy and reality. It’s a very avant garde work of art that takes on the typically broader spectrum of the romance comedy and adds some creativity to it. While “A Girl, A Guy, A Space Helmet” has every chance to be a trite tale of a man and a woman falling in love, Timm’s unique direction and self awareness make it a worthwhile cinematic experience.
Walter Kipling is an introverted yet determined inventor at Zspace Industries with a dream of being a hero in space exploration. When he’s passed over for a fellowship on an upcoming launch in favor of the beautiful Katherine White, Walter returns to his daily grind in the math lab. But when Shuttle 9 goes missing, Walter and his childhood solar-powered space helmet may be Katherine’s only chance for coming back to Earth alive. As he bonds with and falls for Katherine, he tries desperately to help her with his know how and an old friend whose inventions might help.
Made for $10,000, “A Girl, A Guy, A Space Helmet” radiates such an interesting arthouse underground feeling, what with the low fi setting and black and white photography. I mean that in a good way, because in a bigger budget production, perhaps “A Girl, A Guy, A Space Helmet” might have been something of a misfire. Although the film’s premise is reliant on a heavy science fiction theme, “A Girl, A Guy, A Space Helmet” is actually very much a charming and touching character based romance comedy. The majority of the movie’s emotional weight is placed on star Anthony Backman, whose own invention allows him to become very close to the woman of his dreams, all the while so hopelessly out of touch.
Much of “A Girl, A Guy, A Space Helmet” delves in to the idea of losing sight with the bigger scheme of the world, finding connection in a pretty bleak society, and using technology as a means of enhancing humanity’s bond. The collective cast is great including Backman, and co-star Lindsey K. Vaerst. If I have any complaints, it’s the sub-plot involving the whole dance off that just completely tore me out of the movie. Not only does it add a bit too much silliness to the narrative, but it’s a complete dud thematically, and comically, and sadly felt like filler. That said, “A Girl, A Guy, A Space Helmet” is a very good low budget outing that mixes the best of the romance comedy, and science fiction film to build a simple but satisfying character piece.
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