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Sam Neill, Kevin Harrington, Tom Long, Patrick Warburton, Genevieve Mooy ... see more see more... , Tayler Kane , Billie Brown , Roy Billing , Andrew S. Gilbert , Lenka Kripac , Matthew Moore , Eliza Szonert , John McMartin , Carl Snell , Rosalind Hammond , Bille Brown , Billy Mitchell , Frank Bennett , Kerry Walker , Randall Berger , Susan Ward

In this comedy, as American astronauts prepare to make one giant leap for mankind, a small Australian town stumbles through its own small steps to help. In the summer of 1969, Cliff Buxton (Sam Neill)... read more read more... leads a team of scientists overseeing the operations of one of the world's largest radio telescope dishes, nestled in a New South Wales community of sheep farmers. As NASA prepares for Apollo 11, the first manned voyage to the moon, Buxton and his crew are asked if they will allow their telescope's dish to be used as a backup receiver for the television transmission from the moon, should the main receiver in California fail. Buxton and his men are more than happy to help, and the village is agog as they gear up for their own small part in one of the world's greatest adventures. Mayor McIntyre (Roy Billing) and his wife May (Genevieve Mooy) are thrilled to be greeting a small but steady stream of important visitors, though many of the locals are not especially good with etiquette, and several members of Buxton's team, most notably high-strung Mitch (Kevin Harrington), are less than enthusiastic about Al Burnett (Patrick Warburton), the know-it-all NASA technician brought in to oversee the Australian operations. When a change in Apollo 11's schedule means the Australian dish will have to pick up the vital broadcast from the moon, Cliff, Mitch, and Al must put aside their differences to pull the show together. Though played for laughs, The Dish was inspired by actual events. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

76% liked it

7,932 ratings

Critics

96% liked it

98 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 43 min.

Directed by: Rob Sitch

Release Date: March 14, 2001

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DVD Release Date: August 28, 2001

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Stats: 506 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (506)

  • FiLmCrAzY
    March 10, 2010
    FiLmCrAzY
    i liked it! its a nice little cute movie thats amausing in places and quite good fun movie that leaves you happy, and of course sam neill looks gorgeous as ever!!
    its about the landing on the moon of neil armstrong but its about the dish that broadcasted the pictures to earth ba... read moresed on true events and based in australia!
    A nice movie to watch light heartedly!!
  • TomBowler
    January 28, 2010
    TomBowler
    Fantastic Aussie film. Full review later
  • SirPant
    September 23, 2009
    SirPant
    Not as good as I?d hoped, it?s a brilliant true story, poorly executed.
  • thmtsang
    January 31, 2009
    thmtsang
    Based on a true story Sam Neill and his team in Australia are responsible for beaming the image of Neil Armstrong's moon landing around the world.
  • deano
    February 20, 2007
    deano
    Very good comedy-drama story of the receiving dish in Parkes, NSW that celebrates this great achievement and the Aussie battlers that made this monumental telecast possible.
  • Lemure
    April 19, 2010
    Lemure
    How much you like this film will depend on how much you like custard. Now, custard is all very well - I've nothing against it, but not many people will list it as their favourite food. Sure it's great with vanilla or banana slices, but on its own it's simply "alright". What I'm t... read morerying to say is that this film also is very "alright", but instead of simply saying this film is "alright", I thought it better to use a custard analogy to get my point across..
  • DrLappos
    September 9, 2007
    DrLappos
    Really enjoyable film....
  • FanGirl
    August 14, 2006
    FanGirl
    I'm not sure why I love this movie so much, but I do. It's Australian, it's quiet, and it's brillantly subtle.
  • gwynfallan
    September 24, 2008
    gwynfallan
    A slow but steady drama with an outstanding cast and wonderful script. A unique and lovely look at the 1969 lunar landing.
  • evtrench
    June 21, 2007
    evtrench
    I spent the whole time trying to figure out where I knew the mayor from. I kept envisioning his horrified face, but couldn't place it with a movie until I finally realized he was the governer from Pirates. Although, I just looked it up, and he isn't, which really freaks me out,... read more although I placed the American guy as Kronk correctly.

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Critic Reviews

Susan Stark
April 20, 2001
Susan Stark, Detroit News

Both an entertaining, instructive jaunt down memory lane and also, for the younger generation, a most palatable lesson in modern history. Full Review

Terry Lawson
April 20, 2001
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

The Dish also does a nice job of evoking what 1969 was like for people who didn't live in San Francisco, Paris or even Melbourne, Australia.

Steven Rosen
April 20, 2001
Steven Rosen, Denver Post

Makes you admire the Australian ability to make a comedy that's sincere rather than crass. Full Review

Desson Thomson
April 6, 2001
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

For many moviegoers, that feel-good spirit is going to be hard to resist. Full Review

Rita Kempley
April 6, 2001
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

A feel-good movie that re-creates a time and place with gentle humor and a reminder that the Aussies have the right stuff, too. Full Review

Bob Graham
April 6, 2001
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle

Images of the revolving and tilting dish are sufficient in themselves and do more than make up for the musical goosing on the soundtrack. Full Review

James Berardinelli
April 6, 2001
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

A comedy with a heart -- a rare thing in the movies these days. Full Review

Bruce Westbrook
April 6, 2001
Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle

A warmly human story marked by humor, drama, a little romance and an ending that's preordained (though crises arise), yet also moving. Full Review

Roger Ebert
April 6, 2001
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

A smiling human comedy. Full Review

Jay Carr
April 6, 2001
Jay Carr, Boston Globe

Warm, wry, endearing.

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The Dish Trivia

  • what film was based on the moon landing tv coverage from australia?  Answer »
  • which australian movie starring tom long and sam neill is set in parkes?  Answer »
  • In the film The Dish, what famous event are they transmitting?  Answer »
  • Who sang Good Morning Starshine from The Dish soundtrack?  Answer »
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