Posted: 03/01/2007

The Astronaut Farmer

(2007)

by Karen Petruska

The Astronaut Farmer marks the fourth collaboration between twin brothers Michael and Mark Polish. Michael Polish directs, Mark Polish acts, two Polish children play daughters, and both brothers co-wrote this feel-good movie about pursuing dreams. This movie is made by family for families about the value of family.

Main character Charlie Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) lives with his loving wife and three happy children in the very small town in which he grew up. He is still smarting from having given up a career as an astronaut to save the family farm after his father died in debt many years ago. At the opening of the film, Farmer has almost completed construction of a rocket built from used parts. His plans to launch himself into orbit develop more urgency when the bank issues plans to foreclose.

If any of this sounds familiar, there’s a good reason. Replace the rocket with a baseball field and you pretty much have the movie Field of Dreams. In both films, a reluctant farmer risks losing everything to pursue a crazy dream. The wives support their husbands despite evidence that they are completely insane, and after a particularly dark hour, the men are redeemed in the eyes of the world.

Thornton has proven again and again that he is a brilliant actor, and he certainly imbues this character with an admirable determination. But he cannot shed a reserve that is part of his nature. Farmer’s sadness seems epic, as if he lost a friend in ‘Nam, when in fact he simply had to forego one career for another. But according to the rationale of this film, dropping out of the military was a failure, and Farmer will not allow his children to see him fail again. The dream trumps all.

Virginia Madsen brings a charming grit to her role as Farmer’s loyal wife Audie, and Max Thieriot is believable as his surprisingly mature son Shepard. Despite his terrible name (Shepard Farmer?!), Shepard is the best-behaved 15-year old boy ever. Gotta wonder how these kids survive the inevitable torture that must arise in school when your dad builds a rocket ship in the barn, but all we see an incredibly tight and stable nuclear family. In a nice supporting role, Bruce Dern provides an alternative point of view when he asks his daughter just what will happen if her husband fails to achieve his dream. But even Farmer’s father-in-law respects his commitment to his wife and children.

As is customary with films of this genre (the dream story), there are a number of cinematic clichés employed to good effect. We know this town is small because Farmer’s banker is his friend, his court-appointed psych evaluator is his former girlfriend and the school psychologist, and the FAA review of Farmer’s activities take place in the high school gym. Many people try to convince Farmer to give up his crazy plan, but he persists despite all opposition and one near tragic setback. Farmer makes numerous impassioned pleas for his dreams while the symphonic music swells in the background. The overexposed lighting provides a constant glow around the main characters (it never rains in this magical part of the Midwest). The movie is basically the cinematic equivalent of a child’s fairy tale, and it is equally as successful at manipulating emotions.

I’ll admit that I’m a bit conflicted about The Astronaut Farmer. The cynic in me rolled my eyes every time a character invoked the word “dream” as if a dream is the highest value on the planet. What about the value of providing a home for your wife and children or putting in a hard day’s work? Farmer’s name is a bit ironic since we never see him doing any actual farm work. His wife holds things together with her job waiting tables at the local diner, but the family’s impressive debt is not surprising since Farmer spends all day building a money-sucking rocket.

Then there’s the part of me that appreciates Farmer’s willingness to risk failure in such a dramatic way. His insistence that his children learn from him the value of dreams transforms into a lesson of the value of persistence. The scenario is absurd, and if you wanted to ruin the logic of the film with questions about space travel, it wouldn’t be hard. But that misses the point entirely. Farmer’s story calls upon adults to share a child’s innocent belief that you can become anything you want with hard work and determination. The American Dream, I suppose. And for a couple of hours, the Polish brothers almost make you believe in that dream again.

Karen Petruska is a reviewer in Chicago, IL.

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