The Astronaut Farmer (2006)

A NASA astronaut (Thornton), forced to retire years earlier so he could save his family farm, has never give up his dream of space travel and looks to build his own rocket, despite the government's threats to stop him.

Director:

Michael Polish

Writers:

Mark Polish, Michael Polish

Stars:

Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Max Thieriot

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Charles Farmer
Virginia Madsen	...	Audrey 'Audie' Farmer
Max Thieriot	...	Shepard Farmer
Jasper Polish	...	Stanley Farmer
Logan Polish	...	Sunshine Farmer
Bruce Dern	...	Hal
Mark Polish	...	FBI Agent Mathis
Jon Gries	...	FBI Agent Killbourne
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Kevin Munchak
Sal Lopez	...	Pepe Garcia
J.K. Simmons	...	Jacobson
Kiersten Warren	...	Phyllis
Rick Overton	...	Arnold 'Arnie' Millard
Richard Edson	...	Chopper Miller
Elise Eberle	...	Madison Roberts

Storyline

Texan Charles Farmer left the Air Force as a young man to save the family ranch when his dad died. Like most American ranchers, he owes his bank. Unlike most, he's an astrophysicist with a rocket in his barn - one he's built and wants to take into space. It's his dream. The FBI puts him under surveillance when he tries to buy rocket fuel; the FAA stalls him when he files a flight plan - it's post-9/11, after all. His wife is angry when she finds out their bank is initiating foreclosure. Charlie fears failure and decides, precipitously, to launch. Are twenty-first century American dreams just a sign of insanity? Are those who believe in dreamers only fools?

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Plot Keywords:

rocket | bank | foreclosure | fuel | ranch | 

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Taglines:

If we don't have our dreams, we have nothing.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic material, peril and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [jp] Warner Bros. Pictures [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

23 February 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Astronaut Farmer

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$4,454,319 (USA) (23 February 2007)

Gross:

$10,996,440 (USA) (20 April 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Spring Creek Pictures, Polish Brothers Construction

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Virginia Madsen and Bruce Dern are alumni from the same high school, New Trier High School, which is noted for several celebrity alumni.

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Goofs

When the rocket launches, incredibly, the wooden barn remains unburned. In a scene during the second launch, exhaust smoke can be seen coming out the bottom of the barn walls, so it's safe to assume Farmer has designed his barn to overcome the explosive nature of the launch.

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Quotes

Audrey 'Audie' Farmer: I expect you home for dinner.

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Crazy Credits

During the credits, an interview on The Tonight Show is shown between Farmer and Jay Leno. Pictures play during the credits as well.

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Connections

References Good Morning America (1975)

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Soundtracks

"Stop the World (And Let Me Off)"
Written by W.S. Stevenson and Carl Belew
Performed by Dwight Yoakam
Courtesy of Koch Entertainment
By Arrangement with Sugaroo!

User Reviews

It's not a comedy, I swear, but somehow it still works.

When I first heard there was a movie in which my buddy Billy Bob builds a rocket in his barn, I thought for sure it must be a comedy or some sort of spoof or slapstick. Then I saw the trailer, which portrayed the film as serious drama. Given this background, I must say, I had my doubts when I went to an advanced screening in Salt Lake City last night. I need not have worried. The movie was in fact serious (with some great laughs on the aside) and yet it still worked.

Admittedly, the follow-your-dreams-no-matter-what genre has been around since the dawn of time, but Astronaut Farmer manages to stand out nonetheless. The timeless truths are all the more poignant set against the backdrop of such an impossible dream. The problems Charlie Farmer confronts are in many ways similar to problems we all face. Themes of love, sacrifice, and faith make this movie easy to relate to. It is a metaphor of being true to yourself and following your dreams, not just another sappy you-can-do-anything-you-set-your-mind-to knockoff. I recommend it to anyone who has ever wanted something out of life that seemed out of reach or that others scoffed at.