The Astronaut Farmer (2007)

never give up

this movie was very good, this movie send a good message about not giving up on what you believe. it was a charm. people should check it out. June 17, 2008

Absolutley Awful

I'm sorry. this film sucks. I turned it off after a half hour and thatr was being kind. Unlikeable characters, unabsorbing story and laughable setups. Truly disappointing. Godd idea, terribly esecuted. A misfire on every level. Billy Bob is much than this drivel. May 20, 2008

Do we no longer dare to dream?

Look, the logistics and expense of building an actual rocket (in a dairy barn, of all places)--and then launching it--are as preposterous and as farfetched as an elephant speaking French.

But that's not the point.

Here's the point. During one particularly frustrating moment in THE ASTRONAUT FARMER, Billy Bob's character (appropriately named Charlie Farmer) laments that when he was a child, he was told (as all children in America are told) that he could be anything--or do anything--he dared to dream about. Only. . .that's not the case. Today, if one dares to explore space as a private citizen, one will draw the ire of the FAA, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the scorn and ridicule of everyone else. In other words, we as a society have successfully limited ourselves by obstacles of political correctness, and this film is a marvelous metaphor shouting this incontrovertible from the dusty Texas plains.

Charlie Farmer dares to dream, and in the course of fulfilling that dream almost loses his family--and everything he owns. Charlie becomes a pariah, some sort of vagabond anomaly--even to his own wife (Virginia Madsen is a handsome lass)--yet the dream prevails. And despite the nutty, laugh-out-loud zaniness as Charlie builds his rocket ship (who knew you could find a used Gemini capsule at the old Five & Dime?), we marvel at the persistence of Charlie and his dream. . .a persistence that is finally rewarded in a feel-good ending.

Billy Bob Thornton is very likable; Virginia Madsen looks good; Bruce Dern is strangely subdued; Bruce Willis makes a brief cameo and has a beer. Yet the cast is only a cumulative messenger; and the message conveyed by THE ASTRONAUT FARMER: Dare to dream. Then do the unthinkable. Dare to fulfill your dream.
--D. Mikels, Author, Walk-On May 6, 2008

Well done, not overdone.

I was expecting something else, but instead I got a story that was (although cliched) was touching and well acted. The dialogue is witty and spot-on. The cinematography and music is very good. Don't
let the title fool you. April 30, 2008

Entertaining

I first saw this movie in a plane during 2007 and wanted to add it to my collection since, although the story is unbelievable, I think is funny and nice to watch with the kids. Couldn't find it in stores. I think is a better alternative than many others around that did better in the box office. April 29, 2008

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