The Astronaut Farmer (2006)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Michael Polish

Writers (WGA):

Mark Polish (written by) &
Michael Polish (written by)

Release Date:

23 February 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Rocket | Space | Ranch | Astronaut | Father Son Relationship

Cast

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

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic material, peril and language.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:6 | Finland:K-3 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Dunkin' Donuts - 1085 S. Saint Francis Drive, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

FBI Agent Mathis is played by Mark Polish, who wrote the screenplay.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: During the closing credits, an additional scene is shown where the character of Charlie Farmer appears on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. When Jay greets Mr. Farmer before Charlie sits down, Jay can be overheard saying what sounds like "How are you, Bob?", if fact, he said "How are you, pal?" This is also indicated by the subtitles.

Quotes:

Charles Farmer: What makes you think your dad would wear a pink turtleneck?
Audrey 'Audie' Farmer: The color is salmon.
Charles Farmer: That's the color on the inside of a salmon. I don't think a fish would wear that color on the outside.

Movie Connections:

References "Good Morning America" (1975)

Soundtrack:

Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)

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.