Be very careful if you plan to see Joe Jonhston’s latest film, October Sky, based on the non-fiction book of the same title by Homer Hicomb. It is a film and story about the determined son of a coal miner who actually lives out his dream to become one of America’s foremost rocket scientist. I caution you to be careful because this apparently good natured film has the power to reduce you to sobs of tears and bring you full circle to raptured joy within the space of it’s 108 minute running time.

Seriously, October Sky caught me completely off guard. I screened this film expecting to see a story about the anthology of a rocket enthusiast and instead was blessed with a wonderfully compelling story of an indestructible human spirit that had the ability to overcome anything in pursuit of it’s goal. October Sky opens with four teenage hillbilly geeks who decide to pursue a scientific hobby in a mining town where the only goal of most was to one day be able to work for the coal mine. Against this backdrop Homer and his buddies pursue amateur rocketry overcoming threats, arrest, loss of love, ridicule, and disdain to eventually win a national science fair that is their foray into college and a life of success outside the mines.

Joe Johnston weaves together this delicious tale into a personal struggle that each of us can identify with. In the observation of Homer’s tenacity to overcome, we glimpse our own victories. It reminds us that we can achieve if we have the will and the spirit to see a thing through.

Most of October Sky is shot in West Virginia. The trailer suggest that you get to see the FULL evolution from amateur—to—professional scientist. You don’t, but that’s more than okay since the story under the story is compelling enough all by itself. The real story is how wonderfully this film demonstrates people going about doing what they think is correct only to learn in hindsight that they were wrong. Homer’s father, John Hickam, believes his son should abandon his delusions of becoming a scientist if favor of becoming a top mining supervisor. Homer, a respectful, good natured kid is forced to be politely rude to his hard but oddly loving father by parsing Dad’s demands into logistical snatches that give him a way to pursue his dreams.

Things sour as Homer is blamed for a fire in a nearby county, and soon thereafter, has to leave high school because John is hurt in a mining accident. Homer has to work at the mines as a laborer as a condition that allows the Hickam family to keep their company owned home while John convalesces. Through an inspiring school teacher, Miss Riley, Homer pursues his dreams anyway, achieving a glorious victory for himself and the whole town. You’ll love the story between John, Homer, big brother Jim, and Homer’s mother, Elsie Hickman. Elsie puts it all on the line for her son in a way that done more often than most would admit. It’s a great moment in a great film.

As always: the question, do I see this film? The answer, YES! But I caution you now – this is definitely a human interest story. If you want action, speed, great chases, and short skirts, this is not the film for you. But, if you think you be interested in a bird’s eye view of the indomitable human spirit that can live inside all of us, then October Sky is a great film. One item of note: October Sky was directed by the same director of Field of Dreams. Like FOD, this movie is human at it’s core and again shows what a person must overcome in pursuit of the good. I say blast off and enjoy October Sky.

See you at the movies.