The Astronaut farmer

PG

Released Feb 23, 2007

1h 45m

Drama

List

58%

137 Reviews

Tomatometer

49%

250,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Sep 26

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent The Astronaut farmer on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Critics Consensus

The Astronaut Farmer is a charming, inspirational drama that successfully avoids modern cinematic cliches while appealing to the optimistic dreamer in all of us.

Read Critics Reviews

Audience Member

Astronaut or astro-nut some would call somebody reaching for the stars in the most unlikely fashion Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Masden, Max Theriot, JK Simmons, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce Willis, and Bruce Dern Charles Farmer is a former pilot discharged from the Air Force, now he is of a course a farmer, he lives with his family in the countryside of Texas and ultimately dreams about going into outer space He hopes to actually build his own rocket ship in his own backyard but everyone feels he's losing his mind The fact that he wants to do this by himself is a tall order but Charles is facing foreclosure on his residence not to mention it's possible according to many he might blow himself up or the government might take him in for building a weapon of mass destruction Charles is reaching for the stars like so many and he's not going to let any limitations stand in the way Thankfully he has the loving support of his family behind him to make his dream come true, his wife Audie always believes in him He becomes a media sensation across the world You can be anything you want to be no matter what, somewhere along the line we stop believing we can do anything, you better know what you want to do before someone else does it for you This is a good inspirational drama albeit it's one we've seen many times Has a lot more quiet intimate moments for sure and it stinks Bruce Dern isn't in the movie a lot But Thornton's performance is skyrocketing with some good natured affability Anyone with a dream like this can face the roadblocks but there's no barrier to dreaming the impossible

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Astronaut or astro-nut some would call somebody reaching for the stars in the most unlikely fashion Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Masden, Max Theriot, JK Simmons, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce Willis, and Bruce Dern Charles Farmer is a former pilot discharged from the Air Force, now he is of a course a farmer, he lives with his family in the countryside of Texas and ultimately dreams about going into outer space He hopes to actually build his own rocket ship in his own backyard but everyone feels he's losing his mind The fact that he wants to do this by himself is a tall order but Charles is facing foreclosure on his residence not to mention it's possible according to many he might blow himself up or the government might take him in for building a weapon of mass destruction Charles is reaching for the stars like so many and he's not going to let any limitations stand in the way Thankfully he has the loving support of his family behind him to make his dream come true, his wife Audie always believes in him He becomes a media sensation across the world You can be anything you want to be no matter what, somewhere along the line we stop believing we can do anything, you better know what you want to do before someone else does it for you This is a good inspirational drama albeit it's one we've seen many times Has a lot more quiet intimate moments for sure and it stinks Bruce Dern isn't in the movie a lot But Thornton's performance is skyrocketing with some good natured affability Anyone with a dream like this can face the roadblocks but there's no barrier to dreaming the impossible

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

robert p

While not a great movie (how did he get all the parts for a rocket) still its inspiring to full fill a dream!!!!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

nate m

This is an inspirational story - and I love them! Especially about going into space. And even more because I worked on America's space program in the seventies as an engineer. PROS: Billy Bob Thornton was the perfect astronaut. The movie dares you to DREAM big, and follow your dream. CONS: Too long. Anyone could easily cut 45 minutes with no loss of anything. CONCLUSION: Hollywood always makes great "follow your dream" movies. This movie is not great, but it is good. And it's much better than the low rating by many critics. I guess they're pissed that they never followed their dream. I did.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I think this was a good movie for $30 million it had a good budget for a big movie. it was fun and we'll written even. if the critics giving it iffy reviews but I'm giving it 5 stars because it's a interesting film

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/20

Full Review

Audience Member

I wasn’t planning to watch this movie, but I’m glad I did.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/01/19

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Michael Polish

Director

Billy Bob Thornton

Charles Farmer

Virginia Madsen

Audie

Bruce Dern

Hal

Tim Blake Nelson

Kevin Munchak

Jon Gries

Kilborne

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

60%

74%

Believe in Me

47%

72%

Pride

33%

84%

The Ultimate Gift

38%

82%

Fireproof

29%

53%

Extraordinary Measures

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Box Office Guru Preview: Vantage Point Aims For #1 Debut

Box Office Guru Wrapup: Audiences Ride with Wild Hogs at #1

Box Office Guru Wrapup: "Ghost Rides" High Again at #1

View more photos

Dennis Harvey

Variety

Thornton carries the film with relaxed authority, though the earnest tone doesn't let him explore the nuttier aspects of a character who, from any reasoned distance ought look more screwy than heroic.

Jul 6, 2010

Full Review

Steven D. Greydanus

Decent Films

Rated: B-

Oct 29, 2008

Full Review

Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out

Fueled by a decidedly American formula of can-do crazy, The Astronaut Farmer feels, for all its libertarianism, a little lost in space.

Rated: 3/6

Mar 3, 2007

Full Review

Michael Smith

Tulsa World

The filmmakers employ a good measure of schmaltz and shamelessly set up the rocket man with all of the dream-crushing road blocks you can imagine. But the good-natured affability of the whole thing works

Rated: 3/4

Sep 8, 2020

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)

It is a charming, endearingly old-fashioned piece of feel-good fluff that wears its heart on its plaid flannel sleeve, but it is as warm and familiar as grandma's old quilt on a cold winter night.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 6, 2019

Full Review

Megan Basham

WORLD

While The Astronaut Farmer may occasionally get its priorities mixed up, it is refreshing to spend some time with a movie that acknowledges the unique role that men play in families-a role that cannot be filled by any of today's trendy substitutes.

Oct 16, 2018

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

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.

Director: Michael Polish
Producer: J. Geyer Kosinski
Screenwriter: Michael Polish, Mark Polish
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Spring Creek Productions, Polish Brothers Construction
Rating: PG (Thematic Material|Peril|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 23, 2007, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.0M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now