Directed by - Joe Johnston
Cast - Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, Chris Owen, Chad Lindberg
Genre - Docudrama/Biography
Streaming On - Netflix & Amazon Prime Video & Apple TV
"Sometimes you really can't listen to what anybody else says. You just gotta listen inside."
October Sky is an American biographical drama film based on the life of Homer Hickam. The movie is the adaptation of the book 'Rocket Boys' written by Homer Hickam, after the release of the movie, the book was renamed to 'October Sky'. October Sky revolves around the life of four young men from Coalwood, West Virginia. These young men, living in a town where nearly every young boy grows up and starts working in the town`s coal mine, but they decide to take a different route in their life and one of these boys is Homer Hickam Jr. . Inspired by the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, these boys decide to take up rocketry first as a hobby and later on a professional level. But the 'Coalwood' town has other plans for them.
October Sky is one of Joe Johnston`s masterpieces, this period drama is able to flawless showcase the '50s and '60s era. The cinematography and visual effects are appealing, but the strongest point of the movie is its storyline. This feelgood drama, dramatizes the life of Homer Hickam in such a pleasing way that it makes it a type of film which you can rewatch a hundred times. The other strong point of this film is its cast, Jake Gyllenhaal & Laura Dern pull off their roles so beautifully, one forgets they are even acting! This is one of those films, that make you forget that you are in a theatre/home and just pulls you into this different world. October Sky showcases the power and magic of cinema on its viewers.
Even after being period docudrama, its not at all boring rather intriguing and alluring. Its neither too fast nor too slow and runs at just the right pace! Its not a thriller which would have you glued to your seats, rather its a film which takes you through an unforgettable journey. All in all its a movie one should not miss!
JRating: 10/10
JRev: An alluring and wholesome film. A must watch!
Trivia -
Laura Dern known all over the world for her role in the iconic Jurassic Park (1993), Little Women and many more was just 32 when October Sky released and Jake Gyllenhaal who is known for movies like Soutpaw, Zodiac, etc. was just 18! Also, October Sky is an anagram of Rocket Boys, the title of the 1998 memoir upon which the film is based.