Astronaut: Movie Review-A Gentle Reminder To Never Give Up On Your Dreams, Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Graham Greene In Theaters & Demand July 26, 2019

From the days when he was a boy Angus(Richard Dreyfuss-JAWS has always wanted to be an astronaut. Now well past those days he still looks to the stars, with his grandchild Barney played wonderfully by Richie Lawrence(Degrassi, Heroes Reborn, Odd Squad). Now living with his daughter Molly(Krista Bridges-Narc & Goliath) & her husband Jim(Lyric Bent-Rookie Blue & The Book of Negroes) Angus still has dreams of flying in space looking down at the earth.

When Angus suffers a trans ischemic attack (TIA), he moves from the home to a nursing home to not burden his family anymore. Prior to leaving the home, he is notified by his grandson that there is a contest for one person to win a trip into space from a billionaire who will fly the lucky winner in his plane made especially for this trip. 

With his newfound friend Len(Graham Greene(right)--Dances With Wolves, Thunderheart)Angus with the help from his grandson Barney and some of the other people in the nursing home, they help Angus fib about his birthdate to possibly get him into the lottery for the space draw.

Everyone in the cast is fantastic and the film really has a light and fun premise, minus a few mishaps along the way that Angus and some others in the film face. 

It has some touching moments that made me shed a few tears at the end, I won't spoil it for those that have not seen the film yet.

It's nice that someone with the acting credits that Richard Dreyfuss has would be willing to not only star in the film but also he was the Executive Producer for the film.

Shelagh Mcleod is a writer/director with 4 previous short films to her credit, this being her first feature film, shot on location in Canada and has some great Canadian talent helping her with this project.

I have included some of her quote from the press notes that I received for the film:

"Spending many months visiting my mother at a nursing home was a life-changing experience for me. Not only because I was about to lose my mom, but also because the journey from her being an independent woman, to becoming a frail, frightened and overlooked old lady, was a heartbreaking one.

In the nursing home garden, there was an old man. He sat in his wheelchair, staring up at the sky for hours. One day I asked him, ‘What is it that you’re looking for up there...?’ ‘Another go...’ he said.

This conversation became the genesis for Astronaut. Angus still has hopes and aspirations just like any teenager – the only difference? His body is failing him, and to win the golden ticket for a trip to space, he is going to need a little help."

Thank you for reading this 

Sincerely

Anthony Nadeau