Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
The life of engineer and former NASA astronaut José M. Hernández, the first migrant farmworker to go to space.
A Million Miles Away is a solid, earnest biographical drama about José Hernández's inspiring journey from migrant farmworker to NASA astronaut. The plot follows a fairly conventional underdog/rise-to-success structure, hitting expected beats without major surprises. The acting is competent and heartfelt, particularly from Michael Peña in the lead, though it rarely transcends the genre's limitations. Cinematography is serviceable and warm but unremarkable for the genre. Novelty gets a slight boost from its culturally specific Mexican-American migrant perspective, which lends authenticity and freshness to an otherwise familiar story arc. The ending is uplifting and emotionally satisfying but predictable given the true-story framework. A dependable, well-intentioned film that sits comfortably in the middle range across all categories.