I was genuinely moved by *October Sky*. I usually hold fictionalized accounts—even biopics—to a high standard to make an impression, but it doesn’t always happen, and this turned out to be one of those rare occasions where it did. It's odd because there are elements that feel familiar or predictable, yet they really resonated with me. There were several moments that pulled at my emotions, especially the beautiful final scenes; I actually started to get misty-eyed, can you imagine? If it had gone on much longer, I might have cried *shudder*. It’s been the only film I've watched in a while—what has this time away from movies done to me?! Aside from the jokes, I really did enjoy this movie. I’ve mentioned it before, but if I find the acting to be excellent, I'm often inclined to like the whole film. Jake Gyllenhaal is wonderful (though it still isn’t better than *Source Code*). Chris Cooper delivers a great performance, as do Laura Dern and Natalie Canerday. Chris Owen (Sherminator!), Chad Lindberg (Jesse!) and William Lee Scott (eh... well, Roy Lee for now!) also provide solid supporting roles alongside Gyllenhaal. Even actors like Elya Baskin and Randy Stripling contribute worthwhile smaller parts. The music is good as well, particularly toward the end; at first it felt a little cheesy or predictable, which aligns with my earlier description of the film. I’d honestly describe it that way, but it's more charming than anything else. I don’t mind those qualities if they work, and here, they definitely do. Joe Johnston directed this right after *Jumanji*. That's quite an accomplishment!

Source on TMDB