Young Jake Gyllenhaal doing October Sky and Donnie Darko back to back like the freak (complimentary) that he is!
What it's about
Based on a biography by NASA engineer Homer Hickam, the film follows Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his friends as they work on an amateur rocket and defy the expectations of their small coal mining town.
The take
October Sky doesn’t tread new ground—in fact, you’ll be forgiven for rolling your eyes at a couple of cliches, including the classic “Those are your dreams, dad, not mine!” moments—but it’s so unassuming and well-made that it’s hard not to get drawn in by its many charms. There’s Gyllenhaal’s breakthrough performance for one, and the small town coming together to help each other out for another. Perhaps because the film is based on Homer Hickman’s true story, it also feels more specific and lived in than most period pieces. And it smartly avoids villainizing young Hickam’s adversaries so that they feel more real and nuanced, as opposed to the other far-fetched parts of the film. Sure, the overuse of sweeping music can feel cloying at times, but stellar performances across the board and confident direction overall make it a heartwarming, inspiring winner.
What stands out
It’s hard not get swept up by the film’s saccharine but rousing score, which I think is a uniquely (and charmingly) ‘90s thing.
Comments
Add a comment
Your name
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
Little Manhattan (2005)
A precocious, sweet story of first love in the City
7.2
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.
8.1
The Guilty (2018)
A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.
9.0
His Three Daughters (2024)
Three sisters deal with life and death in this moving family portrait
8.9
System Crasher (2019)
A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.
9.0
Forgotten Love (2023)
The stunning third take of the classic Polish pre-war melodrama
7.7
Wind River (2017)
Sicario's screenwriter directs this story of murder in an Indigenous reserve
9.4
Incendies (2011)
Part melodrama, part war thriller, Incendies is gorgeous and heartbreaking from the first scene
9.9
A Silent Voice (2016)
A coming-of-age movie that circles around friendship and the atonement of a boy
8.7
Cold War (2018)
A quiet Polish masterpiece with ravishing music and dazzling visuals