Nice setting of family support, devoting family father with a dream, and involving his family achieving his dream.Setting is realistic (or maybe to simple): 60's space equipment bought of ebay, "keep it simple stupid" kind of build. Considering Virgin and SpaceX achievements: I hope this move were made before their success... As its a bit contradictive on private initatives.If your looking for a nice family movie, showing devotion within a "relative" realistic but extreme settting: yes, its nice.If you prefer intellectual technological challenges, eg. everything from Apollo13 to AI issues and so on... no, its not for you.

Michael Polish's "The Astronaut Farmer" works well for most of its running time. A fantastical David vs Goliath tale, the film watches as actor Billy Bob Thornton plays a Texas rancher who constructs a rocket in his barn and, against all odds, launches himself into outer space.The film's final act is ruined by several ridiculous sequences and some poor CGI, but also this: the film's first 3 acts work well because we're unsure whether Thornton's character is deeply deluded. We also suspect that his family members have become an almost cult-like group, who blindly worship, obey and follow their little patriarch. These interesting avenues, however, are ultimately left unexplored."The Astronaut Farmer" is criticised for being "totally damn unbelievable", but the film knows this. Structured as a children's tale, the film's a piece of myth-making about boyhood dreams propelling grown men. Thornton counters the film's whimsy with some good, dead-pan humour.7/10 – See "The Right Stuff" and "The White Diamond". Worth one viewing.

I will be honest and admit that I wasn't looking forward to watching it. I had just seen Evan Almighty and feared that I had watched the more entertaining movie first and then the depressing movie second.Nope. I was wrong. Sure it was depressing, and sad. Sure there were troubles and sorrow. But isn't that what life contains? The movie started out slow but I got into it quickly enough. I felt connected easily and loved the character's personalities. The failed launch made me feel that he was going to give up. I didn't think that he'd do it again.The second one was really amazing. It got me crying because I knew the joy they were feeling. I really liked how it ended. There were many sorrows in the movie but many joys as well.It would be 10/10 but there was swearing.

i was unsure whether to watch this or not, for its description sounded cheap and uninspired to mei'm glad i didthe story about an farmer (with an astronaut training) who dreams about launching his own rocket and visiting space surely sounds strange but this story is told so beautifully and unpretentious ... i just had to love itand this is just the story on the surfacein fact this movie is about dreams and about the courage to live them, about love and family, about people staying true to one selves ...very well acted and very well written it works with realistic characters in realistic (yes, they are, even if the plot sounds strange) situations and moved me deeplysee it if you can