The Astronaut Farmer (2006)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Michael Polish

Writers (WGA):

Mark Polish (written by) &
Michael Polish (written by)

Release Date:

23 February 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

If we don't have our dreams, we have nothing.

Plot:

A NASA astronaut (Thornton), forced to retire years earlier so he could save his family farm, has never give up his dream of space travel and looks to build his own rocket, despite the government's threats to stop him.

Plot Keywords:

Rocket | Space | Ranch | Astronaut | Father Son Relationship

Cast

Billy Bob Thornton	...	Charles Farmer
Virginia Madsen	...	Audrey 'Audie' Farmer
Max Thieriot	...	Shepard Farmer
Jasper Polish	...	Stanley Farmer
Logan Polish	...	Sunshine Farmer
Bruce Dern	...	Hal
Mark Polish	...	FBI Agent Mathis
Jon Gries	...	FBI Agent Killbourne
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Kevin Munchak
Sal Lopez	...	Pepe Garcia
J.K. Simmons	...	Jacobson
Kiersten Warren	...	Phyllis
Rick Overton	...	Arnold 'Arnie' Millard
Richard Edson	...	Chopper Miller
Elise Eberle	...	Madison Roberts
Julie White	...	Beth Goode
Graham Beckel	...	Frank
Marshall Bell	...	Judge Miller
Kathleen Arc	...	Mrs. Harder
Lois Geary	...	Mrs. Graham
Dianne Anderson Mathis	...	Reporter #1
William Lawrence Allen	...	Reporter #2
Gregory Chase	...	NASA Committee Member
Forrest Fyre	...	State Senator
Janelle Sperow	...	State Congresswoman
Robert E. Fleischer	...	Will Beacon
Kathy Lamkin	...	Jodie
Charlie B. Brown	...	Phil (as Charlie Brown)
Gary Houston	...	Dr. Livingston
Richard Holcomb	...	Reporter #4
Adam Taylor	...	FBI Agent #1
David House	...	FBI Agent #2
John Lawrence Page	...	FBI Agent #3
Matthew Kimbrough	...	Henry Malone
Richard McClarkin	...	Karl
Brian McCallister	...	Student
Jay Leno	...	Himself
Doris Hargrave	...	Gretchen Boyd
George McKelvey	...	Doug
Steve Cormier	...	Appraiser
Scarlett McAlister	...	Local News Reporter
Deborah Martinez	...	Reporter #3
Benjamin Petry	...	Child #1 (as Ben Petry)
Cheyenne Serano	...	Child #2
Robyn Reede	...	Secretary
Olive Gallagher	...	Morning Show Host
Kevin Wiggins	...	Rocket Expert
Joan Findley	...	Reporter
Mary Sue Evans	...	NASA Expert
Ida Darvish	...	Italian Anchorwoman
Eugene Nomura	...	Japanese Anchorman
Vikrum Shah	...	Hindu Anchorman (as Vik Shah)
Yvans Jourdain	...	French Anchorman
Jennifer Chu	...	Chinese Anchorwoman
Dallas Raines	...	National Anchorman
John Burke	...	Reporter
Roy Costley	...	Astro 'Nut' Local
Esodie Geiger	...	CNN News Reporter
J.D. Garfield	...	Sky Copter Reporter (as JD Garfield)
J. Michael Oliva	...	Balloon Game Carnie (as J. Michael 'Yak' Oliva)
Richard Gunn	...	Square Dance Caller
Marc Miles	...	Rocket Ride Operator
Jenny Gabrielle	...	Vanessa
Hannah Wiggins	...	Child #3
David Marcilla	...	Child #4
Joe Solís	...	Square Dance Caller #2 (as Joey Solis)
Mark DeLisle	...	Mission Control #1
Robert Michael Lee	...	MP #1
David Sullivan	...	Young Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kolya Venturi	...	Classmate
Evan Adrian	...	Basketball Player (uncredited)
James Blackburn	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Brent Lambert	...	Media Soundman (uncredited)
Rhett Lynch	...	Towns Person (uncredited)
Lucas Ruggles	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Bruce Willis	...	Col. Doug Masterson (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Polish

Writing credits (WGA)
Mark Polish		(written by) &
Michael Polish		(written by)

Produced by
Len Amato	....	producer
Robert Benjamin	....	co-producer
Geyer Kosinski	....	executive producer (as J. Geyer Kosinski)
Mark Polish	....	producer
Michael Polish	....	producer
Jonathan Sheldon	....	associate producer
Paula Weinstein	....	producer

Original Music by
Stuart Matthewman

Cinematography by
M. David Mullen		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
James Haygood

Casting by
Victoria Thomas

Production Design by
Clark Hunter

Art Direction by
James F. Oberlander

Set Decoration by
Marcia Calosio

Costume Design by
Danny Glicker

Makeup Department
Enid Arias	....	key hair stylist
Linda Arnold	....	personal hair stylist
Lori Ann Baker	....	hair stylist (as Lori Baker)
Jessie Brown	....	makeup artist
Lynne K. Eagan	....	makeup artist: Mr. Thornton (as Lynne Eagan)
Dorothy J. Pearl	....	key makeup artist (as Dorothy Pearl)
Teri Ann Uccan	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Robert Benjamin	....	unit production manager
David E. Hall	....	post-production supervisor
Todd King	....	post-production supervisor
Ravi D. Mehta	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Andrew Coffing	....	first assistant director
Jai James	....	second second assistant director
Leah King	....	dga trainee
JoAnne Lowrie	....	second second assistant director: additional photography
Christian Pichler	....	assistant director
Christian Pichler	....	second unit director
Mark Polish	....	second unit director
Susan E. Walter	....	second assistant director

Art Department
John C. Cameron	....	assistant property master
Sage Emmett Connell	....	set dresser
Chadney Everett	....	set dresser
Michael Flowers	....	leadman
Marisa Frantz	....	set designer
Bobbi Jo Gonzales	....	props
Paul Harman	....	signwriter
Arlen Johnson	....	general foreman
Caylen Johnson	....	welding foreman
Johnny Long	....	key greens
Roberta Marquez Seret	....	art department coordinator (as Roberta Marquez)
Amy Marsh	....	art department coordinator
John McKey	....	storyboard artist
Randy Moffitt	....	propmaker
Cee Moravec	....	set dresser: dayplayer
Amy Morrison	....	buyer
Robbie Mueller	....	swing gang
Chris Painter	....	greens person
Gary Petersen	....	construction gang boss
Ian Scroggins	....	swing gang
Upton Shipley	....	on-set painter
Juan Souter	....	swing gang
Keith Walters	....	property master
Christopher Windisch	....	construction coordinator
Colin Zaug	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Keith Bilderbeck	....	sound effects editor
Michael Brown	....	assistant sound editor
Bayard Carey	....	production sound mixer: second unit
Mark Ettel	....	sound re-recording mixer: temp dubs
Steven Gerrior	....	assistant sound editor
Jon Johnson	....	sound designer
Anthony Krajchir	....	sound engineer
Val Kuklowsky	....	sound editor
Erik Magnus	....	sound mixer: second unit
Matthew Nicolay	....	production sound mixer
Thomas O'Neil Younkman	....	sound effects editor
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Troy Porter	....	adr mixer
Miguel Rivera	....	dialogue editor
Christopher Sheldon	....	supervising sound editor
Brad Sherman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brad Sokol	....	assistant sound editor
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist
Chris Trent	....	foley mixer
Stacey A. Washer	....	boom operator
John Weitz	....	sound mixer: second unit
John Weitz	....	utility sound

Special Effects by
David Baca	....	special effects technician
Nicole Hansen	....	special effects technician
Geoffrey C. Martin	....	special effects coordinator
John Palmer	....	special effects coordinator: WonderWorks
Gary Petersen	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Jeffrey Edward Baksinski	....	cg supervisor
Jacob Bergman	....	animator
Damon Bingham	....	visual effects producer
Christian Bloch	....	digital effects artist: Eden FX
Chad Bonanno	....	animator: title designer
Randy Brown	....	compositing supervisor
Craig Crawford	....	digital compositor/lighting
David Ebner	....	visual effects supervisor: CafeFX
Leif Einarsson	....	digital effects artist
Karl Formander	....	visual effects
Vicki Galloway-Weimer	....	visual effects executive producer: CafeFX (as Vicki Galloway Weimer)
Phillip Giles	....	lighting technical director
Robin Scott Graham	....	digital compositor: Cafe Fx
Rimas Juchnevicius	....	digital compositor
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital
Rodney Montague	....	visual effects producer
Phillip Moses	....	visual effects coordinator: CafeFX
Josh Novak	....	lead compositor: main title sequence
Jim O'Hagan	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title
Desi Ortiz	....	visual effects senior editor: CafeFX
Jason Piccioni	....	visual effects supervisor
Richard R. Reed	....	digital compositor
Gabrielle Barrere Robinson	....	visual effects production manager
Bill Spradlin	....	lighting technical director
Danny Torres	....	systems administrator
Dawn Turner	....	visual effects coordinator
Dan Wanket	....	visual effects
Jan Yarbrough	....	digital intermediate colorist
Genevieve Yee	....	lighting artist
Vincent Lavares	....	data manager (uncredited)
Chris B. Schnitzer	....	visual effects production supervisor: Warner Bros. (uncredited)
Antonio Torres	....	digital artist: Pacific Title (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
Brian Avery	....	stunt double
Courtney Farnsworth	....	utility stunts
Diamond Farnsworth	....	stunt coordinator
Manfred Leuthard	....	stunt pilot (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James 'Keeper' Auld	....	grip
Nick Barros	....	electrician
Jeff Bettis	....	grip
Theodore Y. Bott	....	best boy rigging electric
Tom Boyd	....	underwater camera operator
Denise Brady	....	best boy grip: second unit
Chip Byrd	....	first assistant camera: "c" camera
Beau Chaput	....	Steadicam operator
Beau Chaput	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Jacob Cottrell	....	electrician
David Cummings	....	grip
Keith Eisberg	....	additional camera operator
Keith Eisberg	....	key first assistant camera
Harland Espeset	....	dolly grip
Ben Estrada	....	grip
Richard Foreman Jr.	....	still photographer
Brad Heiner	....	key grip
Hank Herrera	....	best boy grip
Aubrey Husar	....	grip
Steven Litecky	....	gaffer
Robert Lowell	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Michael Manzanares	....	grip
Dan Misner	....	grip
Keith Morgan	....	gaffer: additional photography
Stephen Mullen	....	gaffer: second unit
David Jaxx Nagro	....	dolly grip: second unit
Charlie Newberry	....	second assistant camera
Ray Ortega	....	electrician
Noah Peter	....	grip
Philip C. Pfeiffer	....	camera operator: second unit
Theo Pingarelli	....	camera operator
James R. Powell	....	assistant camera
Thomas Pugh	....	gaffer: additional photography
Alejandro Snodgrass	....	grip
Luke Bird Stern	....	camera: second unit
Michael Warren	....	key rigging grip
Peter Weidenfeller	....	dolly grip
Jeffrey Wilkins	....	additional photographer
Ryland Witten-Smith	....	grip
Neil Wittman	....	electrician

Casting Department
Jo Edna Boldin	....	casting: New Mexico
Darlene Hansen	....	extras casting
Marie A. Kohl	....	local casting associate
Robyn Owen	....	casting associate
Yesi Ramirez	....	casting assistant
Lucas Ruggles	....	extras casting assistant
Marlo Tiede	....	casting assistant (as Marlo Hughling)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aleah Ames	....	key set costumer
Maria Bentfield	....	additional costumer
Kelly Chambers	....	costumes
Emily Egge	....	set costumer
Christopher Gilman	....	specialty costumes: Mercury Suit
Lisa Hyde	....	key costumer
Ann Miller	....	costumer: Mr. Thornton (as Annie Miller)
Daniela Moore	....	wardrobe supervisor
Claire Sandrin	....	set costumer
Danlee Winegar	....	key costumer
Pilar Agoyo	....	seamstress (uncredited)
George Sartiano	....	specialty costumes (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mark Dinicola	....	digital intermediate colorist
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Amber McKenzie	....	on-line assistant
Alex Renskoff	....	assistant editor
Aidan Stanford	....	color timer
Christine Vasquez	....	digital intermediate producer

Music Department
Jay Duerr	....	music editor
Geoff Foster	....	music engineer
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Jake Jackson	....	assistant music engineer
Rob Mathes	....	composer: additional music
Rob Mathes	....	conductor
Rob Mathes	....	music arranger
Rob Mathes	....	orchestrator
Stuart Matthewman	....	music mixer
Stuart Matthewman	....	music performer
Stuart Matthewman	....	music producer
Maurice Murphy	....	musician: trumpet solos

Transportation Department
Bruce Comtois	....	driver
Dennis Milliken	....	transportation coordinator
Eric Rivera	....	transportation co-captain
Paul Salard III	....	driver: honeywagon
Lucas Stein	....	driver
Harold L. Woods	....	driver: production van

Other crew
Lillian Awa	....	production assistant
Bradford Berling	....	art director: titles, Picture Mill
Kyle Bramwell	....	wrangler
Anna Burd	....	production assistant
Misty Carlisle	....	production assistant
Tim Carroll	....	livestock coordinator
Kelly Chambers	....	production assistant
Claire Chandou	....	first assistant accountant: re-shoots
Celli Crawford	....	assistant to producer
Stephen J. Eads	....	assistant: Bruce Willis
Colin Edlund	....	key craft service
Gino Falla	....	first assistant accountant
Jillian Giacomini	....	script supervisor
Jennifer Gingery	....	production assistant
Karen A. Harris	....	assistant production office coordinator
Rebecca Hilliard	....	production coordinator
Judith Jennings	....	studio teacher
Bradley Jones	....	unit publicist
Linda Labov	....	assistant: Paula Weinstein
Daryl C. Lefever	....	production accountant
Sandy Lizaola-Hernandez	....	physical production coordinator
John W. Mader	....	production assistant
David Manzanares	....	location manager
Tracy E. Maurer	....	assistant production coordinator: re-shoots
Kathy McHugh	....	production coordinator: re-shoots
Kathleen Messmer	....	script supervisor: second unit
Carlos A. Montoya	....	set staff assistant
Randy E. Moore	....	craft service
Dan Noah	....	production secretary
Aimie Olson	....	set medic
Hilton Clay Peres	....	assistant location manager
Myleshia Perryman	....	assistant: Len Amato
Roderick Peyketewa	....	assistant location manager
Joshua Sallach	....	production assistant
David Henry Schneider	....	assistant: Bruce Dern
Kristin Scott	....	assistant: Billy Bob Thornton
Jonathan Sheldon	....	assistant: Michael Polish
Faith Strongheart	....	set production assistant
Alan Swain	....	location scout
Dan Tipton	....	assistant: Mr. Smith, re-shoots
Karen Turner	....	payroll accountant
Betty Weaver	....	location manager: WSNM
Melissa White	....	assistant production office coordinator
Peter Christian White	....	on-set technical advisor
Evan Adrian	....	double: Max Thieriot (uncredited)
Marc C. Geschwind	....	extras coordinator (uncredited)
Adam Wollenberg	....	production coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
• Spring Creek Pictures (producer)
• Polish Brothers Construction (producer)

Distributors

• Hyde Park International (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• Bazuca Films (2008) (Chile) (theatrical)
• DesperaDo (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Koch Media (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Blue Sky Media (2007) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• Nordisk Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Pinema (2007) (Turkey) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• CafeFX (visual effects) (as Café FX)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects) (as Pacific Title and Art Design)
• Warner Bros. Animation (visual effects)
• Picture Mill, The (main title design)
• Pacific Title (opticals)

Other Companies

• Air Lyndhurst Studios  music recorded at (orchestra)
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Digital Jungle  post-production facilities
• HeliNM  helicopter aerial sequence
• Inter Video  24 frame equipment
• L.A. Mad Dogs  adr/walla recording
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• Picture Mill, The  main title design
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Pivotal Post  editing facilities
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack
• audiomachine  advertising

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic material, peril and language.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:6 | Finland:K-3 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Dunkin' Donuts - 1085 S. Saint Francis Drive, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

When Farmer is about to launch, Shepard says: "Cleared for launch at zero hour nine AM," an homage to the Elton John song "Rocket Man."

Goofs:

Factual errors: The craft's landing was much slower and softer than an actual Mercury landing. A Mercury landing on dry land would most likely have damaged the capsule and severely injured the astronaut.

Quotes:

Charles Farmer: Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention, please? I'm going to the moon, and I'm bringing a balloon.
Shepard Farmer: I'm going to the moon and I'm bringing an oxygen tank.
Charles Farmer: I believe you're going to the moon.
Stanley Farmer: I'm going to the moon, and I'm bringing Mr. Grump.
Audrey 'Audie' Farmer: No, but not at the table.
Shepard Farmer: You're not bringing a hamster to the moon.
Stanley Farmer: Yes, I can.
Charles Farmer: Yes, she can. I believe she's going to the moon.
Stanley Farmer: Ooh. Ha ha.
Sunshine Farmer: I'm going to the moon, and I'm gonna bring sugar.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "HypaSpace: (#6.25)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Stop the World (And Let Me Off)

Field of Dreams meets October Sky

I saw this wonderfully charming family movie tonight at a free preview in Washington, DC.

The Polish brothers and the Warner Brothers, taking a cue from Walden Media, have hit the family movie sweet spot with this fun, engaging film. I'm giving it an 8 on the basis of pure solid family entertainment value.

(If this movie were a car it would probably be a Toyota Camry)

At the start of the screening, Billy Bob Thorton proudly (and accurately, IMHO) characterized this film as a feel-good Frank Capraesque popcorn flick - the sort of film that would have been on the "A" side of a double bill back in the days of his youth.

Billy Bob and Virginia Madsen do terrific jobs with their characters. I think the timelessly beautiful Ms. Madsen is particularly effective as Farmer's patient, loving, and somewhat exasperated wife.

(and if I were Stephen Colbert interviewing Billy Bob Thorton, I would probably ask this question - "Virginia Madsen: hot co-star, or *the hottest* co-star?").

The story and the arc of the film bring strong elements of "Field of Dreams" and "October Sky" to mind; but absent the mysticism of the former and the somewhat dysfunctional family dynamics of the latter. As a large, tasty helping of pure western Americana I don't doubt for a minute that this film will be a huge hit in Japan.

This movie pays light homage to films like "The Right Stuff" and "Apollo 13." Space fanatics, rocket scientists, and other members of the pocket-protector crowd might experience a few "oh please, you've got to be kidding" moments, but because of its charm, likable characters, and strong acting, this movie requires a lot less disbelief suspension than a film like, oh I don't know, let's say "Armageddon," for example.

Speaking of baby-boomer asteroid wranglers, I was also pleasantly surprised to see Bruce Willis in a small, but key supporting role. I think it's really great when skilled, immensely watchable actors lend their talents to bright young film makers. At the Q&A after the film it was revealed that Bruce took the role as a favor to the Polish brothers and that he essentially worked for free. It was nice of him to do that.

All of the other members of the well-casted supporting ensemble (including some young members of the Polish tribe) delivered solid performances as well.

I won't give you a synopsis of the film here (others are better than me at that sort of thing); but I will tell you that I plan to take my wife and 4, 7, and 12 year old kids to see this film for the pure joy of watching a fun, happy, and slightly quirky movie together as a family.