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The Astronaut Farmer

(2007, Rated PG, Drama, Starring Bruce Dern, Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Billy Bob dreams of space in uneven fantasy drama.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Charlie is dedicated to his dream of spaceflight, and his family supports him, even when his obsession threatens their financial well-being; federal agents look menacing.
  • Violence & scariness:

    Discussion of suicide (an adult child recalls his father's death); Charlie throws a brick through the bank window when he gets a foreclosure notice; angry Audie throws a plate at Charlie; sad scene in which Audie finds her father dead in his bed; first launch features an explosion and crash that leaves Charlie bloody and broken, then laid up in the hospital.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Sexual slang ("getting laid").
  • Language:

    Mild language, used infrequently and casually: "s--t," "ass," "son of a bitch," "damn it." Some name-calling ("space cadets," "stupid").
  • Consumerism:

    Product sponsorship is a thematic concern of the movie (Farmer seeks commercial endorsements to finance the rocket, including Dunkin Donuts, Dairy Queen); other brand names mentioned or shown include Tang, Target, Volkswagen, Coca Cola, John Deere, and Lucky Charms.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Rancher drinks beer.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Astronaut Farmer

Parents need to know that this is an uplifting family-friendly fantasy populated by realistic characters and settings. Younger kids might need some context to understand emotional scenes involving a grandfather's death and a rocket crashing. A character throws a brick through a bank window in anger, and a wife throws a plate at her husband. Kids in the family have to deal with their father's reputation for being "crazy," and his wife has to contend with financial hardship in wake of her husband's obsession. One rocket launch results in an explosion and crash that leaves Charlie in the hospital (some blood). Mild language, including "ass" and "s--t."

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about whether this movie is a fantasy, a drama, or both. What makes something a fantasy? Families can also discuss how Charlie's two major responsibilities -- to follow his dream and support his family -- conflict with each other. Does he make a good choice? How does his desire to orbit his rocket both inspire and frighten his children? What obstacles does Charlie face? How does Audie support her husband?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative message

    A Laugh-Out-Loud Movie...But Not In a Good Way

    THE ASTRONAUT FARMER is not a good movie. At all. If you watch it, you probably won't enjoy it, due to its laughable story, soap-opera script, and bad acting. Language is an issue in the movie. "S**t" and "a*s" are used some, and so is "d**n". A man recalls his father's suicide, and the main character is beat up pretty bad after a shuttle crash. He is also a bad role model for kids. He sacrifices his family's hopes and dreams on a whim to make himself feel good, and we're supposed to praise him for it. He acts irrationally to situations and vandalizes public buildings.

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 2.0

    Good, yet forgettable...

    This movie is confused at what age group it wants to appeal to. This is suitable for kids ages 5 and up, but the material in the film seems to be aimed at a mature audience. Other than that, this movie was decent, but you if someone asked me about this movie in a year or two from now, I probably wouldn't remember it. Rent this just for a god hour and a half of entertainment.

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Kansas
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 1.0

    Anyone can watch - it's just boring

    My whole family watched this and I didn't have an issue with anything in the movie. However, the plot was just rediculous.

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0

    Rediculous premise

    Do you really think that a dream is more important than providing for your children? Because I believe that a father's children's character qualities and well-being are more important than chasing a rather far-out dream, I squirmed, inwardly, through this badly-acted movie which had a short-sighted plot. I wouldn't waste my time on this one. I can't think of too many redeeming qualities in this movie. The kids were cute -- I'll give it that.

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0

  6. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Montana
    I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it 3.0

    Inspirering

    It was a very good movie to watch. I don't I'll be owning it though. There was a drama sticker on the movie when I rented it and that is no lie.... DRAMA. That is not a bad thing. We are a family that get more into comedy. My children 6,4 and 2 weren't interested until there was a little action in it. For parents who are careful what thier children watch you might want to watch this first. My husband wasn't likeing the part where the parents fight. This is something we try to not exspose our hildren to. But, we understand it common in some peoples house.

  7. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Idaho
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    I Wasted My Time With This Movie

    I'm not a good writer so I'm borrowing the best parts of the review from PluggedIn Online: In principle, it's a great idea, but the way it plays out makes it less like the icing on the cake and more like a ketchup filling inside a pie. You can swallow it, and it won't kill you, but something's not quite right about it. Perhaps it's the fact that while Charles' dream is exciting, it's not very morally substantial. Aside from a few weak lines about wanting to educate the world about space, the dream is almost completely selfish. Charles wants the experience of space. He wants to prove he can do it on his own (so much so that he rejects an offer to take a ride on the next shuttle mission, which would get him to space legitimately—and in relative safety). In contrast to other "follow your dreams" stories, Charles' quest lacks the nobility and depth needed to make his sacrifice psychologically worthwhile.

  8. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 4.0

    Surprisingly good

    My 10 year old was upset by the amount of bad language. As parents, we think the reference to 'getting laid' could have been left out. That was uncomfortable for my child. Other than that, she loved it and it was one her parents could enjoy, too.

  9. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 4.0

    Kids may get bored

    good movie,i dont know what group age it was aidmed at,kids get bored by the long talks & lack of action but for grounp ups its a very good movie

  10. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Arizona
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    Good

    A charming, quirky, and inspiring movie--I was surprised by how much I liked it! As far as content goes, there is one somewhat intense crash scene, some peril and suspense. There also is quite a bit of language for a PG movie, although it is all mild profanity. Good for kids 8+

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0

    Very NIce Film that pushes the edges on family-friendly drama

  12. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 0.0

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