A few days before a screening invitation arrived for this movie, I stumbled upon a news story about José Hernández, the first Mexican-American migrant farm worker to travel to space as a NASA astronaut. I was immediately taken by his warm, humble, and affable nature, so I was thrilled to see his historic journey portrayed on screen.

From the time he was six years old, there’s always been a rampant curiosity in José (Juanpi Monterrubio). Even while working in the farm fields in his native Michoacán, he constantly looked up and wondered ‘What are stars for?’ His dad uprooted him and his siblings from Mexico to California, following where the harvests were. José had to juggle work and school, but it’s clear he’s a gifted student who excels in math and science. It didn’t go unnoticed by a kindhearted teacher Miss Young (Michelle Krusiec) who believed in the young boy and gave him the kind of encouragement that made a lasting impact.

Based on Hernández’s autobiography, director Alejandra Márquez Abella co-wrote the script with Bettina Gilois and Hernán Jiménez, and it’s fitting to see Latino talents bringing his story to life. The movie begins straight away without opening credits, and the title reveal is quite inventive as it serves as a transition as José grows up from boy to man, portrayed by Michael Peña.

The story is told in a linear fashion, but Abella infused it with some storytelling flair, such as breaking the narrative into chapters. I haven’t read the book, so I don’t know if that’s a deliberate nod to the source material. What I love is that it consists of life lessons José learns along the way, from #1: Find Your Goal, to #5: When you think you’ve made it, you just have to work harder.

Peña is terrific in the strongest leading role I’ve seen him so far. He embodies the character and is able to balance the drama and humor with an abundance of charm. The courtship between José and Adela (Rosa Salazar) is adorable and the movie proves once more that behind a great man, there’s a supportive woman willing to make a great sacrifice. Salazar is quite a force to be reckoned with and the movie honors Adela as a woman who’s more than just José’s loyal wife and mother to his five children. The scene where Adela and her newborn are speaking to José from the hospital bed is genuinely heart-rending.

José’s story makes me recall the lyrics of the famous ballad The Impossible Dream… “To dream the impossible dream… To run where the brave dare not go” One of his mentors at NASA, Kalpana Chawla (Sarayu Blue), the first woman of Indian origin to fly to space, says it best… “Tenacity is a superpower…” José’s got that in droves, combined with his God-given talent, grit, and a healthy dose of humbleness. His humility and resourcefulness are also his super strength. In his early days at NASA, José was mistaken for the new janitor, but instead of getting angry, he used that to his advantage as he was given the keys to the entire building.

Once José finally got admitted to NASA, his struggles didn’t end there, in fact, he was just getting started. All the training sequences are engaging to watch, which illustrates just how intense and taxing it can be to even be eligible for the space program. It’s not just the astronaut themselves but also their families who have to make a huge sacrifice to achieve their dreams. Of all the crew of STS-128 Mission to the International Space Station, Commander Rick Sturckow (Garret Dillahunt) gets the most screen time. Not sure if he’s the same guy who actually greeted José as he handed in his 12th application, but it works well for dramatic purposes.

The sense of community that shapes the hero’s journey is palpable, which provides some of the funniest moments. The scenes involving Adella’s strict dad are quite hilarious, while José’s brotherly relationship with his cousin Beto (Bobby Soto, who plays a similar role to the one in Flamin’ Hot, another Mexican immigrant biopic) is playful but also emotional. I’ve always loved underdog stories and José’s trajectory is as inspirational as it gets. A Million Miles Away celebrates his story with an equal sense of wonder and heartfelt passion. It’s also a celebration of Mexican culture as well as a stirring shout-out to teachers everywhere as they truly are the unsung heroes of our world.

With based-on-a-true-story movies, I expect to see real footage of the real hero and I’m glad to see the footage of the real José Hernández with his parents, wife & kids, and footage of him working on the space station. It really brings the story full circle as José now runs a vineyard with his father and his wine is called Tierra Luna Cellars. A Million Miles Away honors José’s life wonderfully, it’s the kind of crowd-pleaser we all could use more of these days.

Have you seen A Million Miles Away? I’d love to hear what you think!

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