The Right Stuff
Seen it?1983 | 193 min | Drama, History
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won 4 Oscars and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for history buffs. If you loved First Man or Ford v Ferrari, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Unhurried and epic, at 3 hr 13 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG: peril. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- It's long: 3 hr 13 min.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
At the dawn of the Space Race, seven test pilots set out to become the first American astronauts to enter space. However, the road to making history brings momentous challenges.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.4 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 4 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Film Editing, Academy Awards: Best Original Score, Academy Awards: Best Sound, Academy Awards: Best Sound Effects Editing. Also nominated for 4 more Oscars, 1 Golden Globe and 1 DGA Award. Plus 6 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$27 million worldwide on a $27 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 300K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
First Man Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed space historical drama.
Ford v Ferrari Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed true-story historical drama.
Sully
Saturday SpecialAnother true-story historical drama, and a Saturday Special.
The Aviator Saturday SpecialAnother true-story drama, and a Saturday Special.
Red Tails
Weeknight WatchAnother true-story historical drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Philip Kaufman
- Sam ShepardChuck Yeager
- Scott GlennAlan Shepard
- Ed HarrisJohn Glenn
- Dennis QuaidGordon Cooper
- Fred WardGus Grissom
- Barbara HersheyGlennis Yeager
- Kim StanleyPancho Barnes
- Veronica CartwrightBetty Grissom
- Pamela ReedTrudy Cooper
- Scott PaulinDeke Slayton