The Astronaut Farmer ##VERIFIED##
Charles Farmer is a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and astronaut-in-training who reluctantly resigned from the space program and was discharged from the military before he could fulfill his dream of becoming a vital part of NASA. He did so in order to take over his family's failing ranch in Texas after his financially strapped father's suicide prior to the ranch being foreclosed on.
The Astronaut Farmer
The space suit worn by Farmer is a replica of the Mercury-era Navy Mark IV pressure suit worn by all Mercury Seven astronauts prior to Mercury-Atlas 9. Additionally, the rocket featured in the film is a nearly scale replica of the Mercury-Atlas that launched America's first astronauts into orbit.[2]
Look, there's Bruce Willis, an old astronaut buddy from Farmer's aeronautics-training days! No, Mission Control, this isn't Armageddon. Ben Affleck is nowhere in sight ... repeat, nowhere in sight. Confirm absence of Affleck outside the boosters.
A former astronaut who had to leave the space program to tend to family issues, Charlie Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) still wants to be an astronaut in the worst way. By day, he works on his ranch (sometimes wearing his space suit); at night, he builds a rocket in the barn, with the goal of orbiting his capsule one time around the earth. The enormity of the project is daunting. Charlie leaves daily life details to his infinitely patient wife Audie (Virginia Madsen). Even when she discovers that Charlie has nearly bankrupted the family ("You're supposed to keep us safe"), Audie doesn't quite put a stop to the adventure. A visit from her own ailing father (Bruce Dern) makes her think hard about men's limits and aspirations, and how best to help them understand both.
So as the music fades up on thisfilm, we see Bill Farmer riding into town, a hero who wants to trade thewestern frontier for the final frontier. Farmer (who, despite the suggestivename, is actually a rancher) has a deep, philosophical affection for space. Heeven made it as far as NASA'sastronaut program, but washed out because he preferred attending to his familyover attending rocket-jockey school.
But now the kids are older, andFarmer still wants to take a spin around the planet. So rather than going theeasy and fashionable route - namely, paying the Russians $20 million andhitching a ride to the InternationalSpace Station - Farmer aims to become a freelance astronaut. He figures hecan single-handedly accomplish in a year or two what it took tens of thousandsof NASA engineers a decade to pull off. That's right: he's going to weldup a rocket in the backyard barn, strap himself in, pull the g's, and haulhimself (and ten thousand parts) into orbit [image].After a lap or two around the globe, he'll fire the retro's, parachute back to his Texas ranch in a padded capsule, kiss thekids, and live contentedly ever after. Have a nice day.
Is that not the best poster you've ever seen? Take a long at it. Now look at it in HD, 960x1440. That astronaut farmer is none other than Billy Bob Thornton. It answers the most important question you've never received the answer to: astronauts do in fact like to ride horses, sometimes.
Now, Billy Bob actually isn't an astronaut. He's not even a farmer who wants to be an astronaut. It's one of those titles like Good Will Hunting. Who is hunting for good will? Oh, it's just his name and he's good! Same thing here. His name is Charles "Charlie" Farmer. That's why he's The Astronaut Farmer! I'm not sure he even has a job.
Billy Bob Thornton is a texan farmer that builds his own space rocket and wants to make private spaceflight. NASA hates the private enterprise. The townspeople doesn't like it at first. Media loves it. A bizarre concept that says much about people's dreams, govermental preferences and humanity.
Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) is the ultimate space cowboy. After having to abort his mission plans for an aerospace career, the wannabe astronaut continues to pursue his dreams by building his own rocket in his barn . But when the authorities get wind of his plans, they threaten to ground his operation.
Self-help writer Robert Collier wisely observed: "One-pointedness is the ability to exclude from your mind all thoughts but the one you want to be possessed by. It is the power to concentrate on your dream until it has become more than a dream." Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) has that kind of one-pointedness. A rancher in Story, Texas, he dreams of orbiting the Earth in a rocket. As a boy he was inspired by the 1960s' space flights and Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon. He joined the Air Force as a pilot and then was chosen to be a part of NASA's astronaut training program. But when his father died unexpectedly, he was forced to make the most difficult decision of his life: to leave the program in order to save the family farm and pay off a staggering debt. Lesser men would have given up on the dream to orbit the earth but Farmer was determined to make it happen on his own terms and in his own time frame.
Over the years, with the help of his teenage son Shepherd (Max Thieriot), Farmer has built his own rocket in a barn and spent all his time and most of his money planning for the day when he can launch into outer space. The boy is a budding engineer, and his father has complete confidence in his ability to serve as "Mission Control." His wife Audie (Virginia Madsen) is a booster for her husband's dream although she must endure the doubts of the customers at the local restaurant where she works as a waitress. Why does she put up with this? Because she sees how the dream has unified the family: their daughters (Jasper and Logan Polish) are pleased when Farmer shows up at school on career day dressed in his spacesuit to talk about being an astronaut. Although the kids are thrilled with his performance, the teacher clearly doesn't think he's serious; she praises him for having the courage to play dress-up in front of the children. Another supporter is Audie's father, Hal (Bruce Dern), who appreciates that Farmer is modeling for his children a love of adventure, risk, and the courage to follow one's dreams.
A man (Billy Bob Thornton) who was part of the NASA space program and slated to go to the moon, had to drop out when his father died, in order to save the family farm. Years later his aspiration to be an astronaut is not diminished and he continues to plan to launch himself into space. Also with Virginia Madsen, Bruce Willis, Bruce Dern and Tim Blake Nelson. Directed by Michael Polish. [1:44]
The story focuses on Charles Farmer, a former astronaut-in-training who was discharged from the military before he could fulfill his dream of becoming an astronaut. Having missed the opportunity to travel into space, he decides to build a working replica of the Mercury-Atlas rocket in the barn on his secluded ranch in Texas with the ongoing support of his family. When he begins making inquiries about purchasing rocket fuel, the FBI and FAA step in to investigate (and the government officials make endless red tape to stall him beyond his deadline: foreclose on the farm), and the ensuing publicity thrusts Farmer into the spotlight and makes him a media darling. This film provides examples of: Actor Allusion: This time, its Billy Bob Thorton in the rocket seat and Bruce Willis at Mission Control...only there's no asteroid on a collision course with Earth.
Embarrassing Ringtone: One of the two government agents who are trying to prevent the titular farmer from building his rocket and going into space has "The Imperial March" as his ringtone, as part of their gradual descent over the course of the film from genuinely intimidating antagonists to Those Two Guys.
Deus ex Machina: All the Farmer family's financial troubles are solved when Grandpa dies and leaves them $100,000.
Farm Boy: With a slight twist; the titular character is a farmer who becomes an astronaut, but rather than the usual case of being whiny and resistant to the idea at first before changing his mind, he's wished to being an astronaut from the beginning. His name is even Charles Farmer.
Gravity Sucks: One shining example of this trope is the eponymous character's reentry. After a de-orbit burn lasting less than a few seconds, the craft appears to stop, and just drops straight down.
His Name Really Is "Barkeep": The protagonist is a NASA astronaut who returns to his family farm to save it but never gives up his dream of being an astronaut. His name: Charles Farmer. And his son is named Shepperd Farmer.
Jerkass Has a Point: Farmer freely admits that the government didn't mind him building a rocket until he tried to purchase a large quantity of rocket fuel, something which does and should raise red flags due to how dangerous it can be (really, any type of fuel is dangerous in large enough quantities because it's designed to burn).
Homemade Inventions: Farmer builds a spacecraft on his farm, though he still has to order parts that aren't on hand, like fuel and a rocket.
Leno Device: Used as a Credits Gag, with the farmer seen in photos appearing on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.
Revealing Cover-Up: The FAA Director swears blind that Farmer never launched, even though it was visible over most of Texas.
Running Gag: Ange's work friend saying the rocket is "so big."
Southern-Fried Genius: The titular character is a Texan rancher who could have become an astronaut had he not being discharged, then decides to construct his own rocket so he can travel to space.
Villain Decay: As mentioned above, the two FBI agents tasked with surveiling the Farmer Ranch go from intimidating G-men to Those Two Guys, playing horseshoes and contemplating stealing the unique cups from the local diner as souveniers. One even lampshades it, saying they've "been here too long."
The Astronaut Farmer is a 2006 American drama film directed by Michael Polish. The Astronaut Farmer plot revolves around a farmer who builds a rocket on his farm. The audience has been wondering if The Astronaut Farmer is a true story. 041b061a72