‘A Million Miles Away’ exhibits sacrifices for achievement

The newspaper at my highschool launched an finish of yr version that had a questionnaire for outgoing seniors, asking the place they noticed themselves within the subsequent 5, 10 and 20 years. My solutions have been unsuitable, however I’ve watched different buddies pursue and obtain targets that we had 30 years in the past. As somebody who has adopted a variety of paths in her life, it’s fascinating to me to look at somebody maintain to a singular aim. In her newest movie on Prime Video, “A Million Miles Away,” director Alejandra Marquez Abella follows the story of somebody who knew what he wished from a younger age.

José Hernandez (Michael Peña) was a migrant farmer along with his household. Every year, they might come to America from their dwelling in Mexico to reap grapes. Whereas right here, he would generally attend faculty, selecting up what was doable within the time he was in a position to attend between transferring and dealing. One instructor noticed his potential and defined to his mother and father that he would profit from extra stability — so his mother and father gave up their dream of proudly owning a house to assist him get the training that he wanted. He grew to become an engineer, however his dream was to turn into an astronaut. With the assistance of his spouse Adela (Rosa Salazar), he took the lessons that he wanted, ultimately discovering his solution to the NASA astronaut program and into house.

Biopics will be powerful, however this one threads the needle between the unbelievable story and the groundedness of the characters to make it work. Often, we both see how one particular person beat all the chances to realize a aim, or how somebody used individuals with out care to be able to obtain. Whereas this film clearly exhibits an enormous quantity of perseverance from Hernandez, it’s clear he will get to house due to the assist and sacrifice of those that love him.

The solid does a beautiful job. Peña offers a surprisingly understated efficiency that serves the story nicely. His chemistry with Salazar is unbelievable and he or she does an outstanding job, stealing each scene that she’s in. One other standout is Michelle Krusiec as Miss Younger, Hernandez’s instructor. She solely has a couple of scenes, however all of them pack a variety of emotional punch.

Within the movie, Hernandez’s father offers him a recipe for achievement. One of many final items is, “If you assume you’ve made it, you most likely must work tougher.” We see this performed out in his story. What his father doesn’t inform him, however is clear, is “You’ll be able to’t get there by yourself.” We frequently applaud the self-made man, giving little thought to the individuals who gave him the means to achieve his targets. “A Million Miles Away” lauds exhausting work, however reminds every of us that no matter successes we’ve, they arrive due to forces bigger than simply us. So work tougher, and know that others are working exhausting for you as nicely.

ALISE CHAFFINS is a Morgantown author who opinions a film from a streaming service each Saturday and one newly in theaters each Sunday. Discover extra at MacGuffin or Which means on Substack.