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Title: October Sky (1999)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jake Gyllenhaal | ... | Homer Hickam | |
| Chris Cooper | ... | John Hickam | |
| Laura Dern | ... | Miss Riley | |
| Chris Owen | ... | Quentin | |
| William Lee Scott | ... | Roy Lee | |
| Chad Lindberg | ... | O'Dell | |
| Natalie Canerday | ... | Elsie Hickam | |
| Scott Thomas | ... | Jim Hickam (as Scott Miles) | |
 |
Randy Stripling | ... | Leon Bolden |
| Chris Ellis | ... | Principal Turner | |
| Elya Baskin | ... | Ike Bykovsky | |
| Courtney Cole-Fendley | ... | Dorothy Platt (as Courtney Fendley) | |
| David Dwyer | ... | Jake Mosby | |
| Terry Loughlin | ... | Mr. Dantzler | |
| Kaili Hollister | ... | Valentine Carmina | |
In a 1950's mining town called Coalwood, Homer Hickam is a kid with only one future in sight, to work in the local coal mine like his father. However in October 1957, everything changes when the first artificial satellite, Sputnik goes into orbit. With that event, Homer becomes inspired to learn how to build rockets. With his friends and the local nerd, Homer sets to do just that by trial and a lot of error. Unfortunately, most of the town and especially Homer's father thinks that they are wasting their time. Only one teacher in the high school understands their efforts and lets them know that they could become contenders in the national science fair with college scholarships being the prize. Now the gang must learn to perfect their craft and overcome the many problems facing them as they shoot for the stars. Written by Kenneth Chisholm <kchishol@execulink.com>
This is a gem, a real piece of Americana for all that this implies. If you are self programed to resist "life-afirming" stories, just stay away and leave the pleasure to the rest of us who still believe. And what makes the frosting on the cake truly delectable is that it is fact based on a real rags to riches story, no need to nit-pick what details were changed to make a compact story. Chris Cooper is one of the greatest living actors, and the complex, self-conflicted, bottom-line good at the core father he portrayed could only be pulled off successfully by someone with his skill and insight. The simple minded comments, refusing to accept a father who tries to lay down the law all the while sensing that he may possibly be off-track, expose the limitation of the commentator, not the writers or the acting. This is not for the cynical, or the simple minded.