Traver briefly describes the Plot and Summary of the Movie which provides a good insight about the movie for readers. He starts saying that the movie is setback during
the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union when the Soviets launched Sputnik towards the space. Travers states that even though the people of coalwood do not recognize the historic essence of this event , they still consider this achievement to be of great importance in the Technological Field. However, Homer Hickham , the protagonist of the movie discovers a new passion after watching this event take place. His desire of building rockets not only helps him to create a new future for himself but also provides him strength from not following his father's footsteps towards working in the mines.
Traver highlights the innumerable amount of difficulties Homer had to face before convincing his father Jim Hickham ( Chris Copper) to accept his passion for building rockets and help him choose a new path of life which is completely different from his own.
Traver also states that the underrated actor Chris cooper does not slip into Caricature and plays his role very well . But out of all the events that takes place in the movie the most important one is difficulties Homer overcomes till the end and wins the Science Fair at last.
He concludes by highlighting details about the plot of the movie to be distinctive and rich in favor. Nevertheless, he says Homer and friends turning out to choose their own futures different from what their parents wanted would sound corny but the movie surely focuses on the idealistic time in the American history