A Million Miles Away (2023)
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A migrant farmworker overcomes systemic barriers to become the first of his kind to travel into the unknowns of space.
The story
In the late 1960s and 70s, José, a young boy from Michoacán, travels with his family to California as migrant workers picking grapes. His teacher, Ms. Young, recognizes his potential and encourages his education, leading the family to settle in California full-time. Years later, after graduating from the University of the Pacific and working as an engineer, José seeks to join the NASA space program. Despite facing numerous rejections, he eventually gains acceptance into the program. However, he struggles with the rigorous training and must find the determination to keep up with his classmates to achieve his dream of reaching space.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the late 1960s and 70s, José, a young boy from Michoacán, travels with his family to California as migrant workers picking grapes. His teacher, Ms. Young, recognizes his potential and encourages his education, leading the family to settle in California full-time. Years later, after graduating from the University of the Pacific and working as an engineer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, José meets and marries Adela. Seeking a way into the NASA space program, he eventually gains acceptance after delivering his 12th application in person. José struggles with the rigorous training, falling behind his classmates, and faces a moment of crisis following the death of his cousin, Beto. Encouraged by his trainer, Sturckow, and a conversation with Kalpana Chawla, he pushes forward. After witnessing the tragic disintegration of the Space Shuttle Columbia, José continues to excel. In 2008, he is selected as a Mission Specialist for STS-128. Before launch, he is visited by Ms. Young, who has followed his career for 30 years. Upon reaching orbit, José imagines a monarch butterfly from his childhood, symbolizing his destiny. The film concludes noting that he was the first migrant farmworker in space and still picks grapes in his own vineyard today.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 121
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Alejandra Marquez Abella
- Writers
- Bettina Gilois · screenplay; Hernán Jiménez · re-written; Alejandra Marquez Abella · re-written
- Cast and characters
- Michael Peña · José M. Hernández; Garret Dillahunt
- Genres
- biographical drama
- Themes
- perseverance; immigrant experience; sacrifice; education
- Tone and mood
- inspirational; biographical
- Setting
- California, United States and Mexico during the late 1960s, 1970s, and 2008
- Premise and plot tags
- biopic; space exploration; migrant workers
- Source material / true-story basis
- Hernandez's autobiography Reaching for the Stars
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, with a 7/10 average on Rotten Tomatoes and a 62/100 on Metacritic. Critics praised the lead performances and the focus on family relationships, though some noted the narrative could be heavy-handed.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 7/10 · review count: 54
- Production trivia
- The film was previously in development at Netflix before being acquired by Amazon Studios.; Filming took place in Mexico City.; The film was switched to a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer release following the formation of Amazon MGM Studios Distribution in 2023.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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