The Dish (2001)

96% of critics liked it
(98 reviews)
77% of users liked it
(7,842 ratings)

In this comedy, as American astronauts prepare to make one giant leap for mankind, a small Australian town stumbles through its own small steps to help. In the summer of 1969, Cliff Buxton (Sam Neill) leads a team of scientists overseeing the operations of one of the world's largest radio telescope… More In this comedy, as American astronauts prepare to make one giant leap for mankind, a small Australian town stumbles through its own small steps to help. In the summer of 1969, Cliff Buxton (Sam Neill) leads a team of scientists overseeing the operations of one of the world's largest radio telescope dishes, nestled in a New South Wales community of sheep farmers. As NASA prepares for Apollo 11, the first manned voyage to the moon, Buxton and his crew are asked if they will allow their telescope's dish to be used as a backup receiver for the television transmission from the moon, should the main receiver in California fail. Buxton and his men are more than happy to help, and the village is agog as they gear up for their own small part in one of the world's greatest adventures. Mayor McIntyre (Roy Billing) and his wife May (Genevieve Mooy) are thrilled to be greeting a small but steady stream of important visitors, though many of the locals are not especially good with etiquette, and several members of Buxton's team, most notably high-strung Mitch (Kevin Harrington), are less than enthusiastic about Al Burnett (Patrick Warburton), the know-it-all NASA technician brought in to oversee the Australian operations. When a change in Apollo 11's schedule means the Australian dish will have to pick up the vital broadcast from the moon, Cliff, Mitch, and Al must put aside their differences to pull the show together. Though played for laughs, The Dish was inspired by actual events. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Rob Sitch
Written By: Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Jane Kennedy, Rob Sitch
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 14, 2001 Limited
On DVD: Aug 28, 2001
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

Susan Stark, Detroit News
Both an entertaining, instructive jaunt down memory lane and also, for the younger generation, a most palatable lesson in modern history.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
The Dish also does a nice job of evoking what 1969 was like for people who didn't live in San Francisco, Paris or even Melbourne, Australia.
Steven Rosen, Denver Post
Makes you admire the Australian ability to make a comedy that's sincere rather than crass.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
For many moviegoers, that feel-good spirit is going to be hard to resist.
Rita Kempley, Washington Post
A feel-good movie that re-creates a time and place with gentle humor and a reminder that the Aussies have the right stuff, too.
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle
Images of the revolving and tilting dish are sufficient in themselves and do more than make up for the musical goosing on the soundtrack.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
we are all part of planet Earth, and Sitch's film reminds us without preaching
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
A heartwarming family movie about the space race.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
A satellite dish sitting in the middle of an Australian sheep farm might not sound like the most compelling subject to base a story around, but there are hidden charms in this graceful film that add up to something quite out of the ordinary.
Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer
Sitch's movie is a simple pleasure, full of memorable characters and comedy that could only occur under the direction of a patient and observant director.
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
Sitch deserves the highest praise for recapturing the global feeling of rapture and awe at watching a man walk on the moon. ... For a few minutes we can party like it's 1969.
Tom Grealis, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
A tender memoir of one of the few occasions when the world united in awe.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
Bravo.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
The Dish is a quietly inoffensive film, with a few laughs and a generally genial atmosphere.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Film C

i liked it! its a nice little cute movie thats amausing in places and quite good fun movie that leaves you happy, and of course sam neill looks gorgeous as ever!! its about the landing on the moon of neil armstrong but its about the dish that broadcasted the pictures to earth based… More
i liked it! its a nice little cute movie thats amausing in places and quite good fun movie that leaves you happy, and of course sam neill looks gorgeous as ever!! its about the landing on the moon of neil armstrong but its about the dish that broadcasted the pictures to earth based on true events and based in australia! A nice movie to watch light heartedly!!
Thomas B

Fantastic Aussie film. Full review later
Anthony L

Not as good as I?d hoped, it?s a brilliant true story, poorly executed.
Candy R

Based on a true story Sam Neill and his team in Australia are responsible for beaming the image of Neil Armstrong's moon landing around the world.
Dean M

Very good comedy-drama story of the receiving dish in Parkes, NSW that celebrates this great achievement and the Aussie battlers that made this monumental telecast possible.
Marcus W

How much you like this film will depend on how much you like custard. Now, custard is all very well - I've nothing against it, but not many people will list it as their favourite food. Sure it's great with vanilla or banana slices, but on its own it's simply… More
How much you like this film will depend on how much you like custard. Now, custard is all very well - I've nothing against it, but not many people will list it as their favourite food. Sure it's great with vanilla or banana slices, but on its own it's simply "alright". What I'm trying to say is that this film also is very "alright", but instead of simply saying this film is "alright", I thought it better to use a custard analogy to get my point across..
Barry L

Really enjoyable film....
FanGirl B

I'm not sure why I love this movie so much, but I do. It's Australian, it's quiet, and it's brillantly subtle.