Across a starry October sky in 1957 a single
object shined like a shooting star in slow motion
over the little town of Coalwood, West Virginia. This
spark, the Soviet satellite Sputnik, ignited the
wick-like gaze of one miner's son, Homer
(Gyllenhaal); lighting in him a burning desire to
become a rocket scientist. The rest of the mining
community had spent much too much time underground,
"Maybe it's a missile," one older gentleman figur's.
The reply, "Naw, droppin' one on this place, just be
a waste of a bomb." The younger generation was no
more open-minded, "Let 'em have outer space -- we got
rock and roll!"
No passion for coal mining digging inside him, and
a push over on the football field, Homer had finally
found something to shoot for, "I'mma build rockets."
Unfortunately, Homer's "John Wayne" father (Cooper)
had no idea how to respect a son who couldn't mine or
stop a running back. This is the major conflict. Will
the adolescent son be strong enough to sell his lofty
dreams to a father who only dreams of coal?
The plot follows the usual formula, so that were
it a rocket, one could predict within a matter of
feet where it would land. But don't let that stop you
from coming' out to view "October Sky". The acting is
strong, the direction tight, the music and
cinematography dramatic. It's a solid engaging
film.
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