The Astronaut Farmer is a 2006 American drama film directed by Michael Polish, who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Mark. The film stars Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Bruce Dern, and Max Thieriot.
Texan Charles Farmer left the Air Force as a young man to save the family ranch when his dad died. Like most American ranchers, he owes his bank. Unlike most, he's an astrophysicist with a rocket in his barn - one he's built and wants to take into space.
The Astronaut Farmer is a 2006 American drama film directed by Michael Polish. The Astronaut Farmer plot revolves around a farmer who builds a rocket on his farm. The audience has been wondering if The Astronaut Farmer is a true story.
The cast is filled out by Bruce Dern in the cagey old-timer role (not unlike his part in “Madison”) and Tim Blake Nelson as a small-town lawyer. “The Astronaut Farmer” tries to be an old-fashioned, feel-good picture, but the wheels creak.
He did so to manage his family's ranch after his father commits suicide. So the major question here is that is The Astronaut Farmer based on a true story? The answer is no, it is not based on a true story. It is a fictional story written by Mark Polish, who is also the brother of the director.
Charlie (Billy Bob Thornton) and his wife Audie (Virginia Madsen) have three kids. The oldest is teenaged Shep (Max Thieriot), whom the production notes say is named after astronaut Alan Shepard. That's right: Their son's name is Shepard Farmer.
After orbiting Earth nine times and suffering a brief period of a communication blackout, Charles returns safely and is given a hero's welcome home, appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and as seen in still photos shown during the end credits, while playing Elton John's "Rocket Man".
“The Astronaut Farmer” (2006) Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen with cameos by Bruce Dern and Bruce Willis, directed by Michael Polish, written by Michael and Mark Polish, filmed in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Espanola and Las Vegas, New Mexico.
The film is loosely based on the real-life story of former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak. Space.com sat down with "Lucy in the Sky" director Noah Hawley, who previously created and wrote the FX television series "Fargo" and "Legion," to chat about the movie, the inspirations behind it and what its impact might be.
Virginia MadsenVirginia Madsen says she won't be back for the planned Season 2 of ABC's Designated Survivor. “It was a great role,” she tweeted last night. “I was loving it.” Madsen was recurring on the political drama's first season, playing Kimble Hookstraten, conservative Congresswoman and the GOP's designated survivor.
Farmer is failing at farming because he'd rather revisit his days as a NASA trainee. He never made it into space the first time, but his rocket made of spare parts is almost ready to blast dusty Texas into his past.
February 23, 2007 (USA)The Astronaut Farmer / Release date
Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton), a rancher who once trained to be an astronaut, decides to fulfill a lifelong dream: He builds a rocket in his barn and plans to pilot it into space. Though he faces foreclosure on his ranch, the disbelief of his neighbors and threats from the government, Charles remains determined to reach for the stars.The Astronaut Farmer / Film synopsis
Michael PolishMark PolishThe Astronaut Farmer/Screenplay
astronautastronaut, designation, derived from the Greek words for “star” and “sailor,” commonly applied to an individual who has flown in outer space. More specifically, “astronaut” refers to those from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan who travel into space.
This method is also known as hydroponics. The nutrients required by the plant, in this water-based-agriculture method, is dissolved into the liquid in which the plant is sitting. The experiment, conducted on the International Space Station by astronauts, used artificial simulations of plants for the sake of shelf-life.
The film stars Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Bruce Dern, and Max Thieriot. The plot is about a Texas rancher who attempts to construct a rocket in his barn ...
Charles Farmer is a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and astronaut -in- training who reluctantly resigned from the space program and was discharged from the military before he could fulfill his dream of becoming a vital part of NASA. He did so in order to take over his family's failing ranch in Texas after his financially strapped father's ...
Using a ruse to distract snooping government officials, Charles succeeds in launching the rocket The Dreamer, while the FAA claims no such thing has occurred. As the rocket rises out of the barn, the locals and law enforcement authorities in the area are amazed to watch it rise into space.
In How to Build a Rocket: The Making of The Astronaut Farmer, a bonus feature on the DVD release of the film, screenwriters Michael and Mark Polish reveal they used their father as a role model for the character of Charles Farmer.
Farmer's launch is delayed by endless red tape created by U.S. government officials from the FAA, FBI, CIA, NASA and the Department of Defense, who seek to stall him beyond his deadline and force his creditors to foreclose on the farm. Farmer was counting on publicity to help him financially.
Ruthe Stein of the San Francisco Chronicle called the film " exemplary family-friendly entertainment" and added, " [I]n less artistic hands, [it] could easily spin into cliche. Michael and Mark Polish . . . avoid triteness by sheer force of imagination.
It's also super entertaining.". Steve Dollar of the New York Sun said, "Even for a comedy with dramatic drive, The Astronaut Farmer demands that the audience suspend its disbelief on multiple fronts . . . What is believable, however, is the passion of Billy Bob.
Texan Charles Farmer left the Air Force as a young man to save the family ranch when his dad died. Like most American ranchers, he owes his bank. Unlike most, he's an astrophysicist with a rocket in his barn - one he's built and wants to take into space. It's his dream.
Farmer is able to communicate with his ground controller, Sheppard, throughout the flight, except when his radio system is not operational due to a malfunction. In fact, radio transmissions are only possible if the antenna of the transmitter has a "line of sight" to the receiver.
By what name was The Astronaut Farmer (2006) officially released in India in English?
Charles (played by Billy Bob Thornton) returns to his farm to enjoy breakfast with his wife and children.
The movie opens with Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) rounding up a stray calf while riding his horse and wearing an astronaut suit, complete with space helmet.
There is no sex, nudity, drug or alcohol use, however (unless some alcohol was used in rocket fuel). THE ASTRONAUT FARMER has a strong Christian worldview with very strong moral elements and very strong capitalist elements that support free enterprise, American self-reliance, forgiveness, churchgoing, and the family working together.
Charles jokes that he’ll divorce Audie if she buys her dad a pink turtleneck. A couple of political potshots are taken at the war on terror and the Patriot Act.
After a falling-out with her husband, Audie takes the kids to church, saying, “I’m hoping they’ll learn something about forgiveness, because they’re gonna need it.” A church sign says “God bless Astronaut Farmer.” Audie jokes that “the planets are just not aligned” when Sunshine and Stanley won’t eat their planet-shaped pancakes.
The music of the film is composed by Stuart Matthewman and is produced by Polish Brothers Construction and Spring Creek Pictures. The Astronaut Farmer cast also stars actors like Jasper Polish, Logan Polish, Bruce Willis, Mark Polish, Jon Gries, Tim Blake Nelson and J. K. Simmons. The film received mixed/ average reviews from the critics because ...
Image source: Still from The Astronaut Farmer. In the film, Billy Bob Thornton is seen playing the role of Charles Farmer. He plans to build a replica of the Mercury-Atlas rocket and spacecraft.
Farmer has to face a lot of hurdles before launching his spacecraft. Farmer's spacesuit is a replica of the Mercury-era Navy Mark IV pressure suit which is worn by all the Mercury Seven astronauts before the launch of Mercury-Atlas 9.
So the major question here is that is The Astronaut Farmer based on a true story? The answer is no, it is not based on a true story. It is a fictional story written by Mark Polish, who is also the brother of the director.
Image source: Still from The Astronaut Farmer. The Astronaut Farmer is a 2006 American drama film directed by Michael Polish. The Astronaut Farmer plot revolves around a farmer who builds a rocket on his farm. The audience has been wondering if The Astronaut Farmer is a true story.