Review of The Astronaut Farmer (2007) by Octavian — 04 Mar 2013

The Astronaut Farmer feels like it's telling a true story. Its structure has that heightened sense of reality that so many Hollywood "true stories" tend to have... and yet the concept and notion of a regular farmer mastering rocket science and launching himself into orbit is blisteringly absurd.

But to the film's credit, along with a suspension of disbelief, you want it to be true. Billy Bob Thornton stars as the man with a dream and the steely determination to achieve the impossible and his performance is convincing.

*** spoiler alert *** Adding some credibility is Bruce Willis. He appears unexpectedly without any forward credits and lends the impression that his character is factual. It's a cheeky movie that will absolutely rope a heap of suckers right in who will go to work the next day telling colleagues about this incredibly true achievement of willpower.

.. but to those a little more switched on, its closer to an astronomical 'Field Of Dreams'. Its nice escapism.