How long do we grieve when someone we love dies? When is it OK to stop and to live on? Those are questions raised in This Space Between Us, a bittersweet comedy made when Sisto was young, but arguably one of his best performances to date.
I have to disagree with our friend Patsy, I did see many parallels between this and Moonlight And Valentino, another film about death of a spouse and the complex process of mourning. There comes a time in both films where the mourner meets a new person and falls in love, but has guilt feelings after sex has occured. In Moonlight, Elizabeth Perkins compares her suppressed emotions to "virginity", a secret she holds in and gives to no one. In This Space, Alex admits that he hasn't even jerked off in the 2 years since his wife was killed. Guilt? Without a doubt. When do you stop hating yourself for living after the one you loved most of all has died? when do you forgive yourself just for LIVING? When do you allow yourself to feel something besides sadness or nothing at all? When are you allowed to enjoy life again? Cultures of past and present have allowed for traditional "grieving periods", especially in the case of death of a spouse. But in American society, the questions remain. And nobody can give a mourning person mathematical answers.
I think anyone who understands these feelings should see both of these films. I like this one the best out of the 2, simply because Sisto is the main character!
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this space between us
