October Sky

1999 · 107 min · EN · PG · 7.7 (1,518 votes)

Dir. Joe Johnston · Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Chris Owen, Laura Dern, William Lee Scott, Chad Lindberg · Music Mark Isham

“Sometimes one dream is enough to light up the whole sky.”

DramaHistoryFamily

The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.

VIBE

This film feels like a warm, earnest embrace of youthful ambition against a backdrop of small-town life. It's an inspiring journey of determination, capturing the nostalgic spirit of pursuing dreams and the heartfelt complexities of family bonds, all unfolding with a steady, hopeful rhythm.

inspiringearnestnostalgicdeterminedheartfeltsteadyclassic dramaperiod piececharacter-drivenearnest storytellingambitiongenerational conflictcommunityperseverancethe pursuit of knowledge

▶ Stream on Wonder Project Amazon Channel

small townbased on novel or bookparent child relationshipsatellitebiographybased on true storyrocketwest virginiamining accidentteachercoal mine1950ssputnikrocketry