posted 02-23-2007 08:20 AM               

The Dream is Alive: The Astronaut Farmer

It's a story that should be familiar to any space exploration enthusiast.

In spite of the obstacles, including the laws of physics, political pressure and a limiting budget, a small but spirited group launches their dreams.

It's the story behind the current New Space movement. It's the story behind NASA's past and future.

It's the story of The Astronaut Farmer.

A man, his horse and his rocket

Charles Farmer -- portrayed with just the right mix of quirkiness and sentimentality by actor Billy Bob Thornton -- was well on his way to being an astronaut when he gave up on his dream of flying in space to return to his family's Texas ranch. Years later, he is married to a supportive and beautiful wife (Virginia Madsen) and together they have three children.

Farmer's fascination with space is far from a distant memory, though. His first born, a son, is named Shepard after the nation's first astronaut. Farmer has acquired his own vintage spacesuit, which he is happy to wear for a visit to his daughter's classroom.

And oh yes, he's built a rocket in his barn.

Not a model rocket, of the type many astronaut-hopefuls build and launch from cardboard tubes and balsa wood fins, but a towering, faithful and hopefully working replica of NASA's first man-rated orbital booster, the Mercury-Atlas.

It is here that we, the audience, join Farmer as The Astronaut Farmer begins. We don't know how he built the rocket, though we learn it was at a great expense. And if his financial troubles aren't enough of a challenge, Farmer has just drawn the attention of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which doesn't quite know what to make of the ex-astronaut turned cattle rancher, but is adamant about dashing any dreams of Farmer's rocket ever leaving the ground.

NewSpace vs. NASA vs. the nation

Farmer's plight could easily be interpreted as analogous to the NewSpace movement. Privately funded rocket developers seeking to launch private payloads and space tourists know all too well the struggles presented by tightening budgets and political regulation. It was only within the past several years that the industry and government have come to agreements that allow forward movement on the development of private space-bound rockets.

Farmer's FAA is far less forgiving, though those in the industry may find familiarity with actor J.K. Simmons' portrayal of agency chief Jacobson.

A stronger parallel between the film and real life is far subtler.

Farmer's success or failure is based on his belief in a dream. As he passionately defends his flight plan, Farmer says, "If we don't have our dreams, we have nothing."

Beyond any of the justifications given for NASA's present and future programs is the hope of a better future for humankind. Like Farmer, NASA faces the challenges of engineering new designs based its prior successes, a shrinking budget and a government that seems pre-occupied with deconstructing the past rather than exploring the future.

Farmer's family, who dreams with and for him, is not unlike NASA's workforce and its supporters. They understand the dream, even if those around them -- Farmer's neighbors and the media who flock to his ranch -- do not.

"Somewhere along the line, we stopped believing that we can do anything," says Farmer. So, could be argued, has the nation, if not the world. We went to the Moon in 1969 because we didn't know we couldn't do so. Today, politicians and the public are too quick to assume that if a dream seems impossible, then it likely is.

Whether filmmakers Michael and Mark Polish had NewSpace or NASA in mind while crafting their story is unknown, though there are hints for the latter. The use of the iconic Atlas rocket and Mercury silver spacesuit elicits the glory of NASA's past, nearly 50 years ago. If The Astronaut Farmer were a NewSpace parable, one would expect a rocket design that derives little from government influence.

Said Mark Polish in Warner Brothers' production notes, "The story was sparked by our interest in space exploration, but beyond that, it's about a need to dream of adventures, whether it's Neil Armstrong or Lewis and Clark. I think that, as a society, we've stopped dreaming about exploration."

The dream is alive

Even if you ignore the potential metaphors presented by the film, it is difficult while watching The Astronaut Farmer to not start dreaming alongside Farmer and his family.

With its inspirational cinematography, which transforms the southwestern desert into as foreign and yet, at the same time, familiar setting as the lunar surface, the film's greatest strength is its strong cast of characters -- characters with whom anyone who has dreamt of achieving the impossible can relate. Thornton and Madsen deliver in their roles, as does the two young girls who play the incurably sweet Farmer daughters.

The Astronaut Farmer is an engaging fantasy that draws upon the American spirit for exploration: a spirit that was once strong within the nation's support for NASA and could be again, today.

posted 02-23-2007 09:46 AM               

Some where many of us lost the ability to dream and believe in ourselves. Few of us today seem to take responsibility for our situation. "It's not my fault..." and "I'll sue" seem to be the mindset.

Anything IS possible if you work hard enough to earn it. But if you take shortcuts or try to cheat, eventually it will come back to bite you.

posted 02-23-2007 06:52 PM               

First, I liked it a great deal. But I had to cut it considerable slack to do so. I'll explain:

The characters were pretty full and I cared what happened to them, so this made for a compelling story. What I liked best, though, was some of the things that this movie said that aren't said in movies much anymore. One of my favorite things about the movie was that it protrays a family... and as a married (one time to my current and only wife!) father of three (all mine!) you just don't see this in the media much anymore. I liked seeing that... alot. One of my other favorite things was the roll of fatherhood was acknowledged... and in this day of the "single mother as hero" culture this was a pleasant change in storyline as well. Now on to the space stuff.

****** POSSIBLE SPOILER INFO BELOW*****

I liked the idea that this lone trek into space could be done. As I said to my wife, it was "Field of Dreams" but wasn't executed quite as well. I think its failing was that there were too many "crises" the screenwriters felt were necessary. The first attempt which resulted in his injuries (and needing to build another rocket) was an uneeded crisis. A better tension-builder would have been the original storyline about the impending foreclosure and how to launch beforehand. But they lost me a little with the first launch.

Then they felt as though they had to put him in peril again on the mission. I think I would have liked it better if the mission had been without peril, showing just how well he'd built and flown it... but maybe all of this is just me. After all, one of our (my wife and I) hobbies is talking about how scripts could have been improved, so maybe this is coloring my view of the movie.

***************SPOILER INFO ENDED**********

posted 02-25-2007 06:56 PM               

The Right Stuff was a better-crafted film, albiet a flawed one as well (mostly in terms of getting things factually correct)...

Since this film was one of complete fiction, it doesn't require living up to that standard, and falls short in terms of construction (as I have noted above).

posted 02-25-2007 07:24 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by spacecraft films:
After all, one of our (my wife and I) hobbies is talking about how scripts could have been improved, so maybe this is coloring my view of the movie.

---

posted 02-25-2007 07:39 PM               

1. There is some needed exposition in terms of how it got there, background, etc. but that can be achieved within the story. That didn't trouble us too much.

2. The foreclosure storyline was kind of dropped (solved) quickly, even though it was a considerable part of the first of the movie. I kept thinking the first "launch" was a dream. Sadly it wasn't. They didn't need this, since it was the most unrealistic part of the whole movie, and was, frankly, just silly. Why not build the tension through continuing the foreclosure storyline, getting some money from advertising, charging the people to see the rocket, AND then having the death of her father... all focused on the one story arc.

3. The FAA head wasn't multi-dimensional enough. He would have been much more interesting if in public he was the hard-*ss "you can't launch this thing" and then in private was pulling for its success. He could have even been in partner with the Bruce Willis character pulling for him behind the scenes. The way it played out was too cartoonish. Much more interesting to build characters like this deeper. Even adding a bit to Farmer's speech before the board and having the board rule in his favor based upon his passion is a bit more hopeful than the easy route of going with shallow stereotypical portrayals. And you don't lose much because the tension of the impending mission is always with you...

4. By the time Farmer launched it should (and would) have been a worldwide press event. And if the FAA head had been more multi-dimensional, once he was up the whole flight could have been a huge climax. Imagine really working the orbital flight. The huge press frenzy causes Perth to leave on their lights for him. He sees the "fireflies" and reports them. One might have even plugged in a few cameos. Man, you could have really worked with this! Right down to a spectacular landing scene back on the farm. With the FAA head and the Bruce Willis character finally stepping out from behind the official roles and congratulating Farmer on the flight. I mean if you're going to pay it off... pay it off like Lindbergh landing in Paris... pay it off big.

posted 02-25-2007 10:05 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by collocation:
Guys, let's be realistic, this movie was a good DVD choice at best, as much as I wanted it to be a good movie, it was not, pedestrian as best, let not turn this forum into a Star Trek convention

---

The audience broke into impromptu applause three times during the screening and the comments heard exiting the theater were positive. Afterwards, the Chronicle readers went to dinner together and even though our ages and background varied from teenagers to an ISS flight controller, all shared being entertained by the film.

posted 02-26-2007 12:00 PM               

My sister has a movie review site, I wrote up a review for her.

posted 02-26-2007 08:11 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gordon Reade:
... but there were two lines by Billy Bob ...At one point he says, "I think the government is good at assassinating people with dreams." Gee is that a reference to JFK or MLK? P.S. I did however laugh when the government guy asked, "How do we know you aren't building a WMD?" He replied, "If I were you'd never find it."

---

Thought the assassination comment was appropriate. Yeah, my government probably did kill President Kennedy...

What is more interesting to me is that this topic NEVER dies...

***SPOILER CONTENT FOLLOWS:***

I hoped the first launch was a dream.

The farmhouse DID have the FIELD OF DREAMS look to it...

Not sure ANYBODY in the film counted how many orbits he must have made, correctly.

The satellite he almost ran into was glossed over too much... didn't know if he was supposed to be shot down by it, dock with it and visit whoever might be inside, etc.

***END OF SPOILER STUFF***

Overall it was an OK film... there were a whole 12 to 15 peeps at my viewing... early Saturday afternoon. So it probably ain't going to make a lot of money.

Bruce Willis character was good...

Guess I thought that I did not expect a lot out of this movie. I was not surprise nor disappointed.

posted 02-27-2007 10:20 AM               

One outtake shown on television, with the Billy Bob Thornton interviews, made me think the directors/writers were deeply steeped in the fiction written about early American manned spaceflight.

One scene in particular reminded me of Tom Mallon's coming-of-age novel about a space-crazy kid set in 1962.

In the film, Farmer is in the cockpit with his two younger children (how did they all fit!) dreaming of spaceflight.

In the book, young Gregory has built a facsimile Mercury capsule in his suburban Long Island backyard (the 1962 version of a tree fort!). He has recruited his best friend to be Mercury Control. His friend goes home for lunch just as Gregory is facing reentry... OMG!

Except for this one serious suburban betrayal, the boys play and dream for hours.

posted 02-27-2007 03:07 PM               

Yeah, what was the deal with that satellite that took out his electrical system? At first when they showed that, I commented to my girlfriend "Oh, he met up with the Russians?" thinking it was a Soyuz, but then it just got confusing when he passed it and went dark.

posted 03-06-2007 06:47 AM               

I worked a midnight to eight shift Monday morning and after a 4 hour nap I picked Miranda up after school and we headed to Olathe. The showtime was at 7:30pm and as it turned out we were the only ones at this showing. That was great because we could talk as much as we wanted about the movie. As the credits were being shown I was singing Rocket Man along with Elton John. It is probably a good thing that no one else was there to "experience" that.

Miranda and I really liked it. Even though I had not slept much I had no trouble staying awake. I also hoped the first launch was a dream and that was the only thing about the movie that I did not like. I told Miranda that I did not like the first launch and how a rocket would not fly in the horizontal position so close to the ground. That is when she told me that it was not flying but that it was on the ground being pushed by the engines. I did not go expecting to see a documentary and it wasn't. If it was playing locally we might have tried to see it again. No doubt we will get it on DVD the first day or two that it is out.

posted 03-06-2007 05:55 PM               

I liked it too, but since it's more fun to criticize...

The misfire seemed confusing and utterly preposterous. I've seen enough Spacecraft Films (tm) footage of rockets tipping over to realize that a rocket that does so is guaranteed to fireball and not go off on a merry sled ride sliding around on the ground. And the barn was hardly touched, not torched?