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Space Cowboys is a 2000 American science-fiction drama film that tells the story of four retired Air Force pilots who are drafted to travel into outer space to repair a stranded satellite. The film stars Clint Eastwood as the former NASA pilot Frank Corvin, Tommy Lee Jones as the former Air Force pilot "Hawk" Hawkins, Donald Sutherland as the former flight engineer Jerry O'Neill, and James Garner as the former pilot and Corvin's longtime friend, Tank Sullivan.

At the beginning of the movie, we are introduced to these four retired pilots living their mundane lives. Frank, the oldest of the four, is working on his truck in rural Montana when he hears about a satellite malfunctioning. It's a satellite that he designed 40 years ago and that he considers unfinished business. Frank concludes that the only way to fix it is to send a person into space to repair it. He approaches former colleagues, "Hawk," "Tank," and "Jerry" with his proposal to go back into space as part of a NASA mission. But first, they have to pass the rigorous physical and psychological tests imposed by NASA.

While the four are initially skeptical, they eventually pass the tests and make preparations to travel to space. As the mission progresses, the relationship between the four pilots is explored in greater depth. On the one hand, there's Frank, who resents being booted out of NASA and blames Bob Gerson (played by James Cromwell), the man who replaced him, for everything that went wrong in the intervening years. Hawk, meanwhile, is a typical cowboy, brash, and self-assured, never one to back down from a challenge. Jerry is more of an intellectual, bringing a level of technical expertise to the group, and Tank is the calmest and most pragmatic of the four, able to diffuse tense situations with his gentle wisdom.

Once in space, the four must rely on their old-school pilot training to fix the satellite, which they do with skill and a bit of ingenuity. However, as they prepare to return to Earth, they encounter a series of complications that test their friendship and ultimately teach them the value of loyalty and sacrifice.

Overall, Space Cowboys is an enjoyable movie that combines elements of science fiction, drama, and action. It's not a space epic like Star Wars or Star Trek, but it's an intriguing character study that explores the lives and relationships of four aging pilots. The performances by Eastwood, Jones, Sutherland, and Garner are excellent, and the chemistry between them is palpable. Space Cowboys also boasts impressive special effects, especially during the spaceflight sequences, and a stirring musical score by Lennie Niehaus.

What's interesting about Space Cowboys is how it blends the old and the new. The four pilots are old-school cowboys who are more comfortable with analog than digital technology. They use their wits and instincts to solve problems, rather than relying on computer algorithms or high-tech gadgets. At the same time, the movie also shows how these veterans are still relevant and capable, able to adapt to new technologies and thrive in high-pressure situations. This theme of bridging the past and the future is reflected in the movie's tagline, "Space will never be the same".

In conclusion, Space Cowboys is an entertaining and heartfelt movie that showcases the talents of some of Hollywood's finest actors. It's a space adventure that's more about human relationships than rocket ships and exotic alien worlds. If you're a fan of character-driven dramas or science fiction films that explore the human condition, you'll enjoy Space Cowboys. It's a movie that proves you're never too old to ride the rocket.

Space Cowboys is a 2000 action movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 10 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5 and a MetaScore of 73.