The Polish Brothers (‘Twin Falls Idaho,’ ‘Northfork’) bring their most commercial film to date to the screen with the February 23rd release of ‘The Astronaut Farmer.’
The film is an inspirational story about a man who never gives up on his dream. Charlie Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) is a hardworking rancher who as a young man was pursuing his dream to become an astronaut when family duty pulled him away just as he was nearing the end of the training program.
Many years later, with the help of his supportive wife Audie (Virginia Madsen), his father-in-law (Bruce Dern) and his three kids: Shepard (Max Thieriot), Stanley (Jasper Polish, a girl by the way), and Sunshine (Logan Polish) he’s scoured through NASA’s discarded bits and pieces and made himself a working rocket he believes will launch him into orbit. It’s kind of the town amusement: Charlie and his rocket.
But when the bank is threatening to foreclose on the ranch and the FBI comes knocking on the door asking about the need for rocket fuel, it stops being funny. Charlie must face the government’s interference and hard realties to decide if his dream is worth the sacrifices he’s had to and continues to make.
Astronaut Farmer is one of those sentimental movies that tugs at heartstrings, brings a tear to the eye and a smile to the face. It’s not a tremendous film; it’s good.
Having seen a fair amount of films of this nature you come to expect certain elements to crop up: the adorable family, the quirky townspeople, the hard as nails government guys.
What we don’t really have is a clear picture of the Charlie character himself, his past, and his struggles (that is despite the snail’s pace much of the 1st and 2nd acts take). The story is rooted in the present so we hear second hand about his interrupted career and his relationship with his father. The sparse information given along with Thornton’s sometimes wooden performance makes it hard to piece together the gravity of what came before.
Speaking of fathers and sons, the relationship between Charlie and his son Shepard seems to have burned up on re-entry. I have to think there was more screen time dedicated to showing how gifted Shepard really is and how working together created a bond between the two men that simply didn’t make the final cut. Similarly the whole character of the father-in-law is very nebulous like there was something more there at one time and it’s just drifted away.
That’s enough about what’s lacking. At its core there is more that works in this movie than that doesn’t. After a rocky start Virginia Madsen settles in and gives a compelling performance as the ever faithful, unpretentious Audie.
Tim Blake Nelson as Charlie’s lawyer is every bit the small-town guy helping a friend who is most definitely out of his league.
It’s a gorgeous looking film. Cinematographer M. David Mullen and Production Designer Clark Hunter paint an idyllic picture of life on this Texas ranch, a ranch that just happens to have a 50 foot rocket in its barn. The rocket is an impressive sight and Mission Control having its home in an Air Stream Trailer is fitting.
You’ll recognize a lot of the secondary characters: Rick Overton as the beleaguered bank manager, Jon Gries as the seemingly smarter FBI agent than his partner co-writer Mark Polish, and J.K. Simmons as the blow-hard FAA suit.
I won’t give anything away, but keep your eyes peeled for a great uncredited cameo (that is if you can recognize them with that wig on).
As I said before, 'The Astronaut Farmer' is a good film. It’s going to touch your heart, make you laugh, and be a nice way for the family to spend the afternoon. And let’s face it, the message that no dream is out of reach with determination and hard work is one that bears repeating.
The Astronaut Farmer
Opens wide USA February 23, 2007. MPAA Rated: PG for thematic material, peril and language
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