October Sky
Rent & Buy
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.
What critics thought
A broadly well-received crowd-pleaser, October Sky wins most critics over with the chemistry between Jake Gyllenhaal and Chris Cooper and a genuine warmth in its father-son dynamics. The main fault line in reviews is Joe Johnston's direction, which some felt tipped the film's earnestness into heavy-handedness even as the performances and screenplay held up.
“Immensely entertaining and unabashedly inspirational.”
Roger Ebert·RogerEbert.com
Genres
Biography, Drama, Family
Cast & Crew
Joe JohnstonDirector
Jake GyllenhaalHomer Hickam
Chris CooperJohn Hickam
Chris OwenQuentin Wilson
Laura DernMiss Riley
William Lee ScottRoy Lee
Chad LindbergO'Dell
Natalie CanerdayElsie Hickam
Elya BaskinIke Bykovsky
Chris EllisPrincipal Turner
Scott ThomasJim Hickam
Mark IshamComposer
Lewis ColickWriterOctober Sky
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.
What critics thought
A broadly well-received crowd-pleaser, October Sky wins most critics over with the chemistry between Jake Gyllenhaal and Chris Cooper and a genuine warmth in its father-son dynamics. The main fault line in reviews is Joe Johnston's direction, which some felt tipped the film's earnestness into heavy-handedness even as the performances and screenplay held up.
“Immensely entertaining and unabashedly inspirational.”
Roger Ebert·RogerEbert.com
Genres
Biography, Drama, Family
Cast & Crew
Joe JohnstonDirectorJake GyllenhaalHomer HickamChris CooperJohn HickamChris OwenQuentin WilsonLaura DernMiss RileyWilliam Lee ScottRoy LeeChad LindbergO'DellNatalie CanerdayElsie HickamElya BaskinIke BykovskyChris EllisPrincipal TurnerScott ThomasJim HickamMark IshamComposerLewis ColickWriterRent & Buy