Nov. 04, 2019|UK|101 Min.|PG-13
Genre: Adventure;Drama;Romance
Description: In 1862 London, scientist James Glaisher and his pilot Amelia prepare for the launch of the largest balloon ever built. Despite being haunted by memories of her late husband Pierre, Amelia remains courageous, and the balloon takes off successfully amid cheers from the crowd. In a flashback, James presents his theory on weather prediction to the Royal Society, but his peers ridicule him and decline to fund his research. Returning home, his parents urge him to explore other scientific paths.
As the balloon ascends, James and Amelia encounter a fierce storm that violently shakes the craft. Despite James sustaining a head injury, they manage to survive. They release pigeons carrying messages with their altitude and scientific data in case they don’t make it. During their journey, they discover an air current filled with butterflies, validating the theory of James’s friend John Trew that insects can travel on air currents.
In another flashback, Amelia initially refuses to join the expedition but changes her mind after John convinces her of the importance of advancing science. She visits Pierre’s grave to reflect, and after witnessing snowfall—which James had predicted—she decides to accompany James.
As they surpass 23,000 feet, breaking the altitude record, Amelia realizes James hasn’t brought appropriate clothing for the freezing temperatures and insists on descending. James refuses, leading to a heated argument, but they agree to continue briefly before making their descent.
Cast director: Tom Harper
Cast actor: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Tom Courtenay, Tim McInnerny, Phoebe Fox, Vincent Perez, Himesh Patel, Anne Reid, Rebecca Front, Robert Glenister
Original name: The Aeronauts