Amazon.com: Based on the memoir Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickam Jr., October Sky emerged as one of the most delightful sleepers of 1999--a small miracle of good ol' fashioned movie-making in the cynical, often numbingly trendy Hollywood of the late 20th century. Hickam's true story begins in 1957 with Russia's historic launch of the Sputnik satellite, and while Homer (played with smart idealism by Jake Gyllenhaal) sees Sputnik as his cue to pursue a fascination with rocketry, his father (Chris Cooper) epitomizes the admirable yet sternly stubborn working-man's ethic of the West Virginia coal miner, casting fear and disdain on Homer's pursuit of science while urging his "errant" son to carry on the family business--a spirit-killing profession that Homer has no intention of joining.
As directed by Joe Johnston (The Rocketeer), this wonderful movie is occasionally guilty of overstating its case and sacrificing subtlety for predictable melodrama. But more often the film's tone is just right, and the spirit of adventure and invention is infectiously conveyed through Gyllenhaal and his well-cast fellow rocketeers, whose many failures gradually lead to triumph on their makeshift backwoods launching pad. Capturing time and place with impeccable detail and superbly developed characters (including Laura Dern as an inspiring schoolteacher), October Sky is a family film for the ages, encouraging the highest potential of the human spirit while giving viewers a clear view of a bygone era when "the final frontier" beckoned to the explorer in all of us. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - an excellent feel good movie!
THis movie is plain and simply the perfect feel-good movie. Based on a true story, it shows how the american spirit of persistance, following your heart, wins out over adveristies.
Rating: - Good family movie
This is a great movie to watch with the kids, it has a predictable ending but who cares.
Rating: - October Delight! Great Family fare...
This gem of a movie is not to be missed. Well acted, beautifully written, totally entertaining! A teacher(Laura Dern) plants the seed for local high school boys that maybe they can do something with their lives besides follow the local tradition of working the mines after graduating from school. Just maybe there is something else, one boy(Jake Gyllenhaal) fascinated by Sputnik believes he can build a rocket. He enlists the help of some fellow 'dreamers' and these 'lovable losers' go from town laughing stocks to town heroes but his most challenging task will to be to stand up to his father, a mine ... Read More
Rating: - October Sky
Very nice movie of a true story of a group of four high school boys in a town that is owned and run exclusively for and by a coal mine. The major boy's father is a fanatic coal miner in a management role that believes he and his family live for and breathe [literaly] coal dust for the good of the mine. An older son has football capabilities and is the pride of the father. There is no purpose to learning anything but mining.
Major character is consummed by science and the possibilities after the Russians launch Sputnik. It is an endearing story, well done with a low budget. Laura ... Read More
Rating: - Great Movie
This is a fantastic show with great moral lessons and a good historical context. Again, it's good to have quality movies instead of rated "R" tripe.
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