When the Soviet satellite Sputnik flies over Coaltown, in 1957, teen Homer Hickam's dreams and destiny change forever. Set in the small coal-mining town of Coalwood West Virginia Homer is your average underachieving teenager destined and expected to follow in his father's footsteps, which would see him in the role of an underground coal miner. The launching of the Soviet satellite Sputnik changes him forever. He sees a future for himself other than a life of …showed first 75 words of 797 total…

…showed last 75 words of 797 total…things. Joe Johnstone's (director) construction of Homer places great importance on his emotional and future changes. The script emphasizes what Homer went through as he fought his own battle to finally be accepted by his father and to change his future. Joe Johnstone obviously positions his audience to share the emotions of all the characters close to Homer. In some ways it's a finale of the story, but it's also the beginning of another story.