Director – Joe Johnston – 1999 – US – Cert. PG – 97m
****1/2
Coming-of-age drama based on the teenage years of Homer Hickham who went on to become a NASA rocket scientist – out in UK cinemas on Friday, June 26th 1999
1957 was the year Sputnik became the Earth’s first man‑made satellite. This first of two December releases set in small town America against the backdrop of that event (the second is next week’s The Iron Giant, Brad Bird, 1999) is a coming-of-age drama based on the real life teenage years of Homer Hickham who went on to become a NASA rocket scientist. Homer (Jake Gyllenhaal) is initially inspired by the sight of the Sputnik flying over his hometown through 1957’s October skies, a tiny moving dot amidst the stars.
Hickham starts experimenting with home-made rockets – blowing up his mother’s picket fence, sending potentially lethal projectiles hurtling through the air towards the local pithead and, ultimately, becoming something of a local celebrity. Aided by his two best mates and the school nerd, a stereotype likely to infuriate anyone who wears spectacles, he receives support from admiring teacher Miss Riley (Laura Dern) but not his own mine superintendent father John (Chris Cooper) who regards him as an idealistic fool wasting his time.
Director Joe Johnston has hitherto tackled big special effects productions (Jumanji, 1995; The Rocketeer, 1991 – he would later direct Jurassic Park ///, 2001, and three episodes of Light and Magic, TV series, 2025), but here delivers an adept if very different character-led effort, tackling a subject with which he clearly and strongly connects. Somewhat rough around the edges (perhaps because of its biographical basis), though none the worse for that, it boasts a clutch of impressive if understated performances. If the tale learns a little too much towards reiterating the American Dream, there’s enough grit en route to make it still worth seeing.
Out in UK cinemas on Friday, December 10th 1999.
Reviewed for What’s On in London.
Updated 2026 to include Jurassic Park ///, Light and Magic.
Trailer: