The Aeronauts Parent Guide

Weather forecasts are something we take for granted. We click on our phones and read amazingly accurate short and long range forecasts, unaware that our ability to predict weather has an unusual history. In fact, some of the foundations of meteorology date back to the mid-19^th century and an unusual alliance between a scientist and a hot air balloonist.

James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) is a “scientist of the air”, one of the earliest meteorologists, dedicated to studying and forecasting the weather. In the scientific world of 1860s Britain he’s seen as little better than a quack; he’s mocked and derided for his conviction that weather patterns can be understood and predicted. James believes that if he could just get high enough above the clouds to understand atmospheric conditions, he would be able to prove many of his theories. But the only way to reach the sky is in a hot air balloon and James doesn’t have access to one.

Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) – a composite drawn from real world female balloonists - is an aeronaut, taught to fly hot air balloons by her late husband, Pierre Rennes (Vincent Perez). Grounded by her grief Amelia hasn’t flown for two years and endures flashbacks of Pierre’s tragic death falling from their balloon. Then James erupts into her life, pleading, cajoling, and demanding that she take him up on a flight that could break records, revolutionize science, and change the world.

Such a flight could also be very dangerous, and so it turns out to be. The Aeronauts is filled with multiple scenes of extreme peril. I spent most of this film right on the edge of my seat, fingers (and sphincters) clenched as James and Amelia were tossed around (and out of) the basket in a storm. I almost stopped breathing when Amelia was dangling from a rope, seven miles above the ground. And there is one absolutely heart-stopping scene when Amelia climbs the frozen ropes netted around the balloon to manually open a release valve. If you, like me, are afraid of heights, this movie is enough to make you pass out from terror and you should definitely not see it on the big screen. It will be available to stream in a couple of weeks: catch it on the smaller screen and it might be less vertigo-inducing.

If, however, you want to enjoy a film with spectacular cinematography where the sky becomes a character in its own right, The Aeronauts is best watched on a big screen. There are some moments of astounding beauty which deserve to be seen in a theater. The breathtaking action scenes will also have greater impact on a theatrical canvas. (If you want to see it in a theater, be sure to buy your tickets soon: The Aeronauts is an Amazon Studios production. Produced for Amazon’s streaming service, it only has a brief theatrical release to qualify it for awards season.)

Whichever format you choose to watch this film in, you can feel safe letting your teens watch along with you. In addition to very minor negative content, this production flies high with messages about teamwork, courage, and persistence. James, the son of a watchmaker, is noteworthy for his determination to forge ahead in his research, despite the mockery and condescension of the scientific establishment. On the domestic front, James also demonstrates committed family relationships in his care for and kindness towards his aging and somewhat senile father. Amelia, too, is an affecting example of courage as she pushes herself to move past the trauma of her husband’s death. Both characters provide positive role models as they face danger with courage and teamwork. These uplifting messages are great for teens and we can be grateful that we don’t have to go seven miles up in a hot air balloon to find them.