Since the space race, there have been hundreds of stories that laid the path for these brave pioneers. The tales of those who have "slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God" have intrigued, and even inspired, some of the greatest men of our time. I cannot imagine a better or more effectively told story then that of October Sky, an inspirational telling of the power of one boy’s dreams.

Homer Hickam was a small-town boy from West Virginia, call him a coal miner’s son, if you will. On October 4^th, 1957, he joined the rest of the world in gazing towards the heavens at Sputnik; an event that most will agree was the first salvo in the space race. But unlike most who saw it, admired, and moved onward, Homer became inspired, infused with the desire to not just look at the sky, but be amongst it. He sets out to build a rocket, hopefully taking that first step towards that dream. This movie tells of the trials and tribulations encountered along his journey. You see, Homer’s small town was built around a coal mine, and if you were male, and didn’t play football, then you were predestined to work the land for the rest of your life. Homer’s dad was the foreman of the mine, and assumed that Homer would follow suit. He would hear nothing of his talk of rockets and flying, and headed him off at every pass. But somewhere deep in his father’s eyes, was a love that he just didn’t know how to show. He was a tough man, a man who knew nothing else, but in the scenes between father and son, there is a love, a tough love.

The success or failure rests squarely on the shoulders of newcomer Gyllenhall. There are strong supporting performances all-around, especially from the under appreciated Cooper as his father. But this is Jake’s movie. It’s put squarely on his young shoulders and he carries it strong and proud. Hey, I was there, riding on this shoulders, laughing, crying, smiling, hurting, but enjoying every second of it

The soundtrack is filled with timeless classics of the era that set the mood perfectly. The panoramic shots of lush West Virginia hills, contrasting with the darkness of mind (representative of the dreams of one, and the viewed reality of another), make this movie easy to look at, and be in. It is framed with shots of citizens looking skyward, at first in fascination, and in the end, in admiration.