October Sky (1999)

Load of rubbish!!

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

If you liked the film Rudy, if Hoosiers made you stand up and cheer, you will love October Sky. Unlike the other two, October Sky is not a sports film. What all three films do have in common is well-told stories of people with dreams who struggle against the odds.The setting for October Sky is a small mining town in West Virginia. In October of 1957 the world learns that the Soviet-made satellite Sputnik has been successfully launched. It is at this point that high-school student Homer Hickam decides to learn all he can about rockets. What begins as a hobby soon becomes an obsession. With the aid of three of his friends, and the encouragement of one of his teachers, Homer learns how to build model rockets.As his passion for the subject develops, Homer senses a life-calling in the making. Unfortunately, Homer lives in one of those towns, where your vocation is determined at birth. Homer's father in particular believes his son is destined to make a living toiling in the coalmines, just like his father. This establishes the central tension in the film, and provides some opportunities for poignant interactions between father and son.This is not a new theme, and the film contains more than a few stock characters. We have already seen the high school teacher played by Laura Dern (think Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds or Barbara Hershey in Hoosiers. There is also the high-school principal as uncaring bureaucrat, and a chorus of townsfolk who, at first, remind Homer and the other rocket boys that they should accept their fate in life in the coalmines.In spite of the formulaic nature of the story, this story works. There are enough nuances added that the characters are, at the same time, familiar and new to us. There are no top box-office stars in the film, but there are solid performances by some excellent actors-especially Laura Dern, Jake Gyllenhaal as Homer, and Chris Cooper as Homer's dad.October Sky is based on a true story, and this is part of its power. The image of Homer shooting for the stars while his father dutifully toils in his subterranean world is rich in symbolism. Several years ago, while walking around a Hispanic community on the North side of Chicago, I saw a mural that said, "there are two things we need to give our children-roots and wings." October Sky is about finding that balance. In the beginning of the film, Homer's dad only sees the need for roots, while Homer's thoughts all turn toward flying. Watching the struggle unfold is a richly rewarding experience that the whole family can enjoy.

yeah it's true that i was crying while i was watching it you know why because it was giving so much inspiration that i cannot even think about it. the movie was quiet simple every seconds of it look like real .i am 23 and i think it fits perfectly for this age .this movie shows that you have to work continuously with compassion not that we have to pretend that we have to compassionate but to live in it yeah that's true i say go for it this is the best simplistic inspirational movie i have ever seen i believe you will love every second of this movie go for it

I haven't read the book but I've seen the film several times.A group of teenage boys get inspired to build rockets with the backing of their science teacher.You'll feel like you've lived with the family after seeing this movie. The over working Dad with responsibilities for family and the entire mining community. The mum who's set aside her own dreams to raise her children. Two sons with aspirations to get to college and away from the certainty of mining work.It doesn't stretch your emotions very far but it does make you think and will keep you entertained throughout.

In the fall of 1957 when I was 14 (like the book) I and the late Mike Falkenhain experimented with building and launching rockets in his backyard at Trevose, PA. I became a chemist and he an engineer. I loved the movie, but the errors got in the way of enjoying the film. The cars were all wrong for the time period of 1957-58. The 1952 Fords and the 1953 Chevys had wrap around windshields, ending the split windshield era. With the exception of a quick passing tail of what I think was a 57 Chevy, every car was 1952 or older. People like my Dad with union jobs traded in their cars every three to five years. In a coal town in W. VA half might have been split windshields, but 100%, I don't think so.Dieselization began in earnest in the 1940's, and was largely complete by 1958 (1953 for the Southern), although there were a few steam locos around on some lines. No std gauge train lines in the US ran exclusively steam engines in 1958. I rode on the Pennsylvania Railroad to school everyday from 1955 - 1959, and was fascinated with trains. One in the movie would have been nice, but exclusively steam in 1958 on a major line - impossible.