Critic Reviews
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Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
It's a rare pleasure to watch four terrific actors having the time of their lives.
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Todd McCarthy, Variety
An absorbing mix of perilous suspense, derring-do, personal courage and well-judged self-sacrifice.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
There's an abundance of charm and screen presence from the four veteran actors.
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J. Hoberman, Village Voice
The movie may not pack anything near the emotional punch of Unforgiven, but it's an entertainingly raffish action-comedy nonetheless.
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Jay Carr, Boston Globe
Eastwood's economy of gesture both behind and in front of the camera is a pleasure in itself.
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Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
One of those over-the-hill-gang buddyfests that pretend to be about teamwork and valor but are really about movie-star cronyism.
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Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Weak and saggy script meets predictable plot.
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Nick Rogers, Suite101.com
Problems are evident, and eminent, from a black-and-white flashback prologue in which four young men speak with old actors' voices. Yes, a man purportedly in peak physical condition sounds like a 70-year-old who's eaten bags of gravel daily for 30 years.
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Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Grumpy Old Astronauts--or, rather, Grumpy Old Air Force Officers Who Get Sent into Space to Fix a Damaged Satellite.
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
It's all amiable enough and never fails to be anything but charming, if a little slow.
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Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
...an equivocal movie that can't seem to decide whether to play its ridiculous premise straight.
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Judith Egerton, Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
It's tempting to pin a derisive label like Geezers in Space on this comedy-drama, but its veteran stars...make Space Cowboys hard to dislike.
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Ron Wells, Film Threat
Charm and personality are able to overwhelm the inherent silliness of the situation and the characters.
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Edward Buscombe, Sight and Sound
Despite the poignancy of old age, the mood of the film is cheerful, sustained by the high spirits of the four veterans.
Read all 14 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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It`s pure high-flying fun from start to finish. It soars through the air as an high-tech adventure with old-school heroes. It's a rocking good time. A thrilling, exciting and endlessly funny movie. Director, Clint Eastwood's best film in years. James Garner, Donald… More
It`s pure high-flying fun from start to finish. It soars through the air as an high-tech adventure with old-school heroes. It's a rocking good time. A thrilling, exciting and endlessly funny movie. Director, Clint Eastwood's best film in years. James Garner, Donald Sutherland, Tommy Lee Jones and Clint Eastwood are magnificent. Their having a great time, their chemistry is absolutely outstanding. You cant help but love it and this extraordinary dream team. A truly stunning and brilliant film. A clever, magnificent and unforgettable movie. A non-stop joy-ride filled with literally old-school excitement. I absolutely loved this movie. One of my personal favorites. A great slam of tender drama, sharp humor, sizzling suspense and lots of heart. It aint nothing but a good-time.
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Space Cowboys a good adventure drama film with a great cast. However, considering that this is a Clint Eastwood film, it's also a bit disappointing considering that Eastwood has made far better films in his career. The cast do a good job here, and there's a dose of light… More
Space Cowboys a good adventure drama film with a great cast. However, considering that this is a Clint Eastwood film, it's also a bit disappointing considering that Eastwood has made far better films in his career. The cast do a good job here, and there's a dose of light hearted comedy to even the story out. I think it's great to see such great actors together in one film, and their varied talent brings something unique to the film. This is an entertaining film that is lots of fun, but it lacks something to really make a Clint Eastwood film really special. Space Cowboys is a bit too simplistic almost. Considering that this film was directed by Clint Eastwood, you'd expect something great. But the end result is one of the least memorable films that Eastwood has directed. I'm not saying that this film is bad, far from it, I just think that Clint Eastwood has made far better films in his career. As a whole, Space Cowboys is a good adventure film with a great cast of legendary actors. However, considering this, Space Cowboys could have been a far better film as well. For what it is, Space Cowboys is a good film that delivers a good time, but with that said, Clint Eastwood has made far better films than this. But if you're a fan of his work, then check this one out; just don't expect anything great from it. A good film for what it is, but kit could have been better as well.
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not without its cliches and the acting and dialogue were a bit weak, but the story gives the audience so much to root for that the film succeeds almost by sentiment alone. some of the space images were subtle and awe inspiring, and the story flowed well enough to keep the audience… More
not without its cliches and the acting and dialogue were a bit weak, but the story gives the audience so much to root for that the film succeeds almost by sentiment alone. some of the space images were subtle and awe inspiring, and the story flowed well enough to keep the audience into it. solid overall.
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It kicked off as a totally enjoyable fun ride with a great premise; had it stayed liked that to the end this one could've definitely been topping my favourites list.
Towards the final quarter, with a far-fetched outer space inanity, the plot takes a frustratingly needless twist,… More
It kicked off as a totally enjoyable fun ride with a great premise; had it stayed liked that to the end this one could've definitely been topping my favourites list.
Towards the final quarter, with a far-fetched outer space inanity, the plot takes a frustratingly needless twist, and from then on the proceedings are pushed through a familiar territory - thrills, near misses, self-sacrifices, kiss goodbyes...
Claiming to have made with extensive support from NASA, the space theatrics in this movie are best left unexamined.
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Excellent cast. Movie about a group of retired pilots who get another opportunity to go into space. I've been to NASA where some of it is filmed.
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Really, the only fault of this movie is having Nsync do the theme song. It's a great story with four great actors playing old buddies. The black and white sequence in the beginning is one of my favorite things, it was ridiculously well done. While this was sort've marketed… More
Really, the only fault of this movie is having Nsync do the theme song. It's a great story with four great actors playing old buddies. The black and white sequence in the beginning is one of my favorite things, it was ridiculously well done. While this was sort've marketed as a comedy, i've never really seen it as one. This is very much a dramatic piece and really has a lot of emotional weight. Clint Eastwood did a great job on both sides of the camera here.
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"Now you all have military backgrounds... North or South?"
'Space Cowboys' is a film that I've enjoyed every time a lot, even though I've seen it for maybe three times now. It's hard to not like a movie that defies all natural powers of men. 4 guys,… More
"Now you all have military backgrounds... North or South?"
'Space Cowboys' is a film that I've enjoyed every time a lot, even though I've seen it for maybe three times now. It's hard to not like a movie that defies all natural powers of men. 4 guys, who should rather be in a retirement home instead of a space shuttle, find themselves as the last hope to save two nations from getting in to another era much like the Cold War.
When this millennium started, we've witnessed Clint Eastwood make fun of his age. In 'Unforgiven' he had troubles with his shootin', in 'In the Line of Fire' he nearly got a heart attack runnin' alongside the president's car and in 'Gran Torino' he was just plain old. In' Space Cowboys' he is yet again touch as hell, at least ten times tougher than the trimmed 30 year old Nasa pilots.
But this is what I like about this movie. It's nice to see 4 more or less legendary actors make fun of themselves. I can say that the first hour with all the training and all is pure entertainment. Like the bench pressing scene with the young kids. Fun as hell.
Of course there's gotta be some drama and differences between them all. When the space program started in the 60's, the bunch didn't get their feet in space. Why is that? Can a 30+ year old grudge be solved? The main story focuses mainly on the relations between Eastwood's character Frank Corvin and Tommy Lee Jones' Hawk Hawkins, the last "real" cowboy. There's a lot of chemistry between all the main actors and more charisma than in most of the current A-list actors.
But there's some problems that would've been solved with a better script for example. The first hour goes along very nicely but it feels as if the humor died when the grumpy old men got into space. And when have you seen an Eastwood film that has lasted less than two hours? 'Space Cowboys' is in my opinion a bit too long.
But I can't help it. Like I said earlier, I enjoy 'Space Cowboys' a lot. The actors are perfect in their roles and it's just so much fun watching them grow back together to their old team from the 60's. The special effects in the space are top-notch but the real trick here is to make your eyes adjust to the fact that your watching old men walk in space. Works for me. And the ending is sad as hell but it's proof of that friendship lasts through ages and problems. Made my eyes moist...
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I'm not sure you can go wrong with Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones and Donald Sutherland in a movie. Classy actors. A little hokey in the story, but hey, this many good actors, who cares?
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The Movie is incredibely Cool. It has tiny bit of everything.
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Everyone makes mistakes and Clint made a big one here! I liked the ending though!
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Very enjoyable movie from the first year of the new decade and millennium. All star cast doesn't disappoint at all.
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Pretty hokey movie. Four old wanna-be astronauts have to go into space to save the world. One finds out he has terminal cancer, and of course, the movie finds a way for him to go out in style while doing his duty saving the USA.
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Col. William 'Hawk' Hawkins: What is a pancreas, anyhow? I mean, I don't know what the damn thing does for you, besides give you cancer.
This is a fun and entertaining movie that I seem to watch every time it comes on tv. Clint Eastwood directs and stars in a movie… More
Col. William 'Hawk' Hawkins: What is a pancreas, anyhow? I mean, I don't know what the damn thing does for you, besides give you cancer.
This is a fun and entertaining movie that I seem to watch every time it comes on tv. Clint Eastwood directs and stars in a movie about a retired Air Force team called back into duty when an older guidance system has been found in a Russian satellite, which can only be fixed by the man who designed it, Frank Corvin, played by Eastwood.
The rest of the team includes Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner. All of these men are now seniors who had lost their chance to go to space years prior, but now have their shot. The just have to deal with training to go and an old rival played by James Cromwell.
There is nothing much to the plot or tension in this movie, its just the idea of sending old people into space and what can come from that, but it is treated in a respectable manner, and is a fun movie to enjoy.
Tiny, Bar Bouncer: I'll put you in the hospital old man.
Frank Corvin: Yeah? Well I've got MediCare, go ahead and shoot your best shot!
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Clint Eastwood directs an amusing tale of ageing ex-astronauts given a chance to go back into space, with all the cliches and complete lack of surprises you'd expect. What makes the film is it's gentle charm and humour, delivered by a cast of skilled veterans. The jokes… More
Clint Eastwood directs an amusing tale of ageing ex-astronauts given a chance to go back into space, with all the cliches and complete lack of surprises you'd expect. What makes the film is it's gentle charm and humour, delivered by a cast of skilled veterans. The jokes mainly revolve around their age ("Have you noticed how everyone's dead lately?") and often seems like a cross between Apollo 13 and Grumpy Old Men, but it's a damn sight more entertaining than similar gung ho flag wavers such as Armageddon. And the tedious Apollo 13 for that matter.
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Old folks go to space. It's nice to see all this talent on one screen.
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Eastwood and his old boys launched their mission to space and that was a payload of heart, laughs and thrills.
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[font=Arial][color=darkred]Geezers in space? Consider it the John Glenn biopic. Clint Eastwood teams up with veteran actors James Garner, Donald Sutherland, and Tommy Lee Jones to save the world with the combined aid of Ensure and adult diapers. But these old-timers show some of the… More
[font=Arial][color=darkred]Geezers in space? Consider it the John Glenn biopic. Clint Eastwood teams up with veteran actors James Garner, Donald Sutherland, and Tommy Lee Jones to save the world with the combined aid of Ensure and adult diapers. But these old-timers show some of the "youngins" what movie entertainment is really all about.[/color][/font]
[font=Arial][color=darkred]Back in the day when the Air Force was in charge of space related programs Clint and his team were the cream of their crop and scheduled to be the first men to enter the dark void of space. Unfortunately NASA was formulated and the boys got the boot for a cosmo chimp. Now 50 years later the earth is threatened by a falling Russian satalite with technology too ancient that only a select group of experienced men still know to this day. So NASA enlists the help of the very men it backhanded so many moons ago to be drafted into a space operation to halt the plummeting satalite.[/color][/font]
[font=Arial][color=darkred]For a good while 'Space Cowboys' is a breath of fresh air from a veteran team of actors. The rivalry between Jones and Eastwood as well as the young healthy astronaughts versus the eldery-shake-your-hand-at-Wal-Mart astronuaghts makes for great comedy. The entire core group of actors sparkle with terrific chemistry and on screen pressence. They creat a jovial fun atmosphere that makes the movie humorous and surprisingly engrossing.[/color][/font]
[font=Arial][color=darkred]'Space Cowboys' is not liver-spot free. The direction by Eastwood is often flat and very unengaging. The entire Russian Cold War spy subplot borders on the absurd, and the romances with women that can be their daughters makes vomit rise into my throat whenever I see their leathery faces suck the life out of those young and nubile girls. When the gentlemen get launched into space the entire movie loses focus and forgets what made it before. The typical space rescue themes abound and you know before they get up there that one of them won't make it back, and probably do something heroic in the first place.[/color][/font]
[font=Arial][color=darkred]For the most part 'Space Cowboys' is a reminder that the elderly still know how to put ona good show, even if the last fourth is very lackluster. These cowboys can ride off into the sunset content for a job well done.[/color][/font]
[font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate's Grade: B- [/color][/font]
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"Space Cowboys "This was a fun old geezer movie. So what if it reeked of Armageddon. Client Eastwood going around collecting men to help him save the world. Just like Bruce Willis did. So what if a lot of the "Scientific Facts" did not mess out correctly. Who… More
"Space Cowboys "This was a fun old geezer movie. So what if it reeked of Armageddon. Client Eastwood going around collecting men to help him save the world. Just like Bruce Willis did. So what if a lot of the "Scientific Facts" did not mess out correctly. Who cares. This was a funny and entertaining movie. I laughed in all of the right places. Just pure entertainment. Nothing to take all serious.
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Just Four old men(Great actors) having the time of thier lives.
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Science fiction film directed by Clint Eastwood. Eastwood also stars in the film alongside Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner as four older "ex-test pilots" who are sent into space to repair an old Soviet satellite. Great film with a very original plot.The… More
Science fiction film directed by Clint Eastwood. Eastwood also stars in the film alongside Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner as four older "ex-test pilots" who are sent into space to repair an old Soviet satellite. Great film with a very original plot.The chemistry between the four space cowboys is amazing and the visual effects are great.Very good entertainment!
Read all 20 featured audience ratings
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