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Poster for October Sky

October Sky

Seen it?

1999 | 107 min | Drama, History, Family

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It earned strong reviews (90% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (7.7 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for families and history buffs. If you loved The Iron Giant or Steve Jobs, start here.
The mood
Feel-good.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 47 min.
What might put you off
Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.

The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 71 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.7 out of 10

  • AwardsBelow par

    Won 1 WGA Award: Writers Guild of America Award. Also nominated for 1 more WGA Award. Plus 1 other award.

  • Box office & staying powerSolid

    $35 million worldwide on a $25 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 286K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Joe Johnston

  • Jake GyllenhaalHomer Hickam
  • Chris CooperJohn Hickam
  • Chris OwenQuentin Wilson
  • Laura DernMiss Riley
  • William Lee ScottRoy Lee
  • Chad LindbergO'Dell
  • Natalie CanerdayElsie Hickam
  • Elya BaskinIke Bykovsky
  • Chris EllisPrincipal Turner
  • Scott ThomasJim Hickam