“October Sky”

Homer Hickman, Jr. (played by Jake Gullenhaal) didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps and be a coal miner in the small town of Coalwood, West Virginia. When he heard about the launch of Sputnik, he became fascinated with the idea of building his own. Homer enlisted a few friends to help out.

Miss Riley (played by Laura Dern) was Homer’s teacher and inspiration. She encouraged him to follow his dream. Homer’s father (played by Chris Cooper) was the opposite. He discouraged Homer’s endeavors and wanted him to stay in the small town and become a coal miner after finishing school.

Homer ran into some obstacles along the way and many trials and errors, but was successful with building his rocket. Homer’s teacher tells him that he has a chance at winning a college scholarship by entering his rocket project in a science fair.

Homer’s dream of building a rocket opened many doors for him, including a new closeness with his father.

“October Sky” is rated pg and an exceptional movie. It’s raw and based on a true story. It’s not just about building a rocket, but human interaction and emotion and how someone can rise above obstacles. A definite 5 out of 5 stars.

Homer Hickman, Jr. became a success. To read more about him go to his website at http://www.homerhickam.com/about/bio.shtml