October Sky (1999)

Entertainment Weekly
"...[Gyllenhaal and Cooper give] passionate performances..." -- Rating: B 03/12/1999 p.45

New York Times
"...OCTOBER SKY has a small-town intimacy, a group of close-knit pals and the kind of innocence seldom found on screen these days..." 02/19/1999 p.E14

Box Office
"...Told with a gentle humor....OCTOBER SKY is a sweet yet sincere coming-of-age story..." 03/01/1999 p.44

USA Today
"...[An] emotionally authentic real-life remembrance....The finale, which utilizes vintage home movies to show us the real people we've just seen portrayed, packs a wallop..." 02/19/1999 p.13E

Los Angeles Times
"...Refreshing....OCTOBER SKY is especially well served by Cooper..." 02/19/1999 p.F10

Boxoffice Magazine 0 of 10
Not all Americans were wrapped up in the Cold War in the late 1950s. In some corners of the country, the Soviet Union's launch of the satellite Sputnik meant virtually nothing. Homer Hickam Jr. lived in just such a place, but Sputnik meant everything to him. October Sky is the true story of this West Virginia teen who beat all the odds, avoiding his dad's harsh life in the coal mine--not by playing football, but by winning a national science fair. Played with aching innocence by Jake Gyllenhaal (Homegrown), Homer challenges everything he's been taught to fulfill his dream of building a rocket--starting with something as simple as sitting down with the class nerd in the school cafeteria. Ultimately, he finds himself standing up to his dad, who insists Homer was born to work in the mine. Portrayed to painful perfection by Chris Cooper (Lone Star), Homer's father feels pressure from both the coal company and the union to keep the local mine--and lifeline of the community--productive. It's when Homer and his dad can finally come to understand each other that Homer really becomes a success. Told with a gentle humor (such as the montage of Homer's failed rocket attempts--one after another after another) and set to a rockin' '50s soundtrack, October Sky is a sweet yet sincere coming-of-age story about fathers and sons, communities pulling together and, above all, heroes. - Annlee Ellingson
 
TNT's Rough Cut 0 of 10
Every once in a while, a movie comes along that has the power to change people's lives. October Sky is one such movie. This inspiring true story recounts the coming-of-age of NASA scientist Homer Hickam Jr. Stimulated by the 1957 launch of Russian satellite Sputnik, Homer (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his likable school buds build miniature rockets to compete in a national science fair. Sure, building and launching rockets seems a bit geeky to base an entire movie on, but director Joe Johnston maintains an enjoyable blend of emotional depth, comedy -- they endure several explosive misfires -- and hand-clapping perseverance... Despite that we've seen his character dozens of times, Cooper does a superb job as a soot-covered, emotional void who can't comprehend his son's dreams. The entire cast equally shines, even the four unknown but charming leads who make staring into the sky look good, a passion that leaves the audience with an unforgettable sense to reach for the stars. - Christopher Brandon