From the time he was a child, Charles Farmer had only one goal: to be an astronaut. Earning his degree in aerospace engineering and joining the Air Force as a pilot, Farmer was a natural for NASA's astronaut training program and was well on his way when a family situation forced him to drop out. But Farmer was not a man to let anything stand in the way of a dream. He spent the next decade and every cent he had building his own rocket in a barn on his ranch in Story, Texas, working toward the day when he could triumphantly launch it into space. By himself. Sharing his vision are his wife Audie and their children--daughters Sunshine and Stanley, and 15-year-old Shepard, already a budding engineer and eager to serve as "mission control" on the big day. Even Audie's father Hal, on hand to lend moral support, can see how his son-in-law's unwavering commitment has inspired the family with a common dream.

On the eve of the long-anticipated launch, an unexpected problem arises. Farmer's efforts to secure 10,000 pounds of high-grade fuel catches the attention of the FBI--and subsequently the media, who encamp in droves outside his gate. Farmer finds himself depicted on TV screens worldwide as a renegade hero, inspiring an outpouring of popular support, while simultaneously drawing heavy fire from the FBI, CIA, FAA, NASA and the U.S. Military, all of whom see him as a threat and will do anything they can think of to shut him down. But Farmer knows this is his only chance--not only to reach his goal of breaking through the Earth's atmosphere but to instill in his children the courage to pursue their own ideals and never give up, no matter the odds. He will not let himself be grounded again.

At first glance it wouldn’t seem that Billy Bob Thornton would be right for this role, as he is more memorable as the loud mouthed, heavy drinking ruffian that matches his real persona more closely. He is wild and untamed and unfiltered and in the movie he is bound to play a dreamer, a family man who has everything to lose and everything to gain. That just doesn’t seem like Billy Bob who graced us with Bad Santa and a tamer Bad News Bears remake but surprisingly he manages to pull it off because even though the character doesn’t entirely fit him, he makes it his own. The character seems more real because like Thorton he is rough around the edges, he’s not this straight laced Hollywood cliché reaching for the stars he’s like a real person who has dreams and will let nothing stand in the way of those dreams. Not everything is perfect, not everything works the first time but in the end he perseveres as does the movie and becomes quite enjoyable in the end.

The movie has its fault as it still has that sugar sweet candy coated feel to it that you almost expect when seeing a Disney film. Although they may struggle, and the outcome looks bleak at times you know that in the end they will overcome and despite the troubles all will be well in the end. I think these kind of movies are becoming more and more difficult to make as no matter how hard you try you are going to have to drag out a few of the more tired and overused clichés of the genre. So it becomes a tightrope kind of walk to be able to drip the movie with the sugar sweet clichés while at the same time trying to be a little edgy and new. The film does an admirable job of doing both because in the end you do find yourself cheering for Charlie Farmer to make it into space and that’s the ultimate test of this kind of movie, if and when they can get you to cheer for the hero of the story.

Virginia Madsen plays the wife of the main character in two different movies released on February 23rd 2007, first to Billy Bob Thornton and then to Jim Carrey in The Number 23. Of the two performance I think she fit better in the Astronaut Farmer because she just seems to have that more laid back kind of persona that fit this movie better. She seems more of a mother, a care taker that is supporting her husband despite their problems than someone coping with her husband slowly losing his mind. She is able to slide in perfectly to the doting wife who has her misgivings but supports her husband for her children’s sake, I am going to the moon and I am taking this brick, also might have been one of the best moments of the movie. By the time Bruce Willis shows up, the movie is set as he just fits perfectly with Thornton and his reaction the rocket is priceless. Sugar sweet but still satisfying.

Grade: B