The Astronaut Farmer

Reviewed by:
Pete Hammond

The year is still young, but this absurd distant cousin to Field of Dreams ought to be right near the top when the 10 worst films of 2007 are compiled. The film is centered on a Texas farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) who, having missed his opportunity to travel to space when he was with NASA, decides to build his own backyard rocket and let his 15-year-old son launch him to the stars. Don't even ask about the low-tech wooden box with a couple of knobs the kid uses for mission control. Let's not go there. In fact, don't go anywhere near this film if you're looking for anything resembling credible entertainment. When his wife (Virginia Madsen) utters innuendos about Billy Bob launching "his rocket" you may feel compelled to bolt for the exits, but there are all sorts of gems like that. As the film's slogan says, "If we don't have dreams, we have nothing." In this case we have nothing. It's difficult to say where this all went wrong, but any 6 year old would have a hard time buying the concept of a grown man putting himself and his family in jeopardy, not once but twice, to head for outer space from his driveway. After he totals his spaceship on the first attempt, he finds himself near death and his family distraught, he starts all over again. All of this is done with NASA officials on his tail and worldwide news coverage. Somehow in the midst of all the nonstop scrutiny, the guy manages to rebuild his rocket without anyone knowing! Does he secretly make it into space? Can his kid bring him down to earth? And who is milking the cows? After doing Bad Santa and Bad News Bears, it appears that Billy Bob has gone from Bad to a career worst. Houston, we've got a bomb!

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