Tom Wolfe wrote a terrific book and this movie does nothing but improve on it. A masterful take on the original Mercury program. Seen it a dozen times...keeps getting better. Funny as hell in some parts, flag-wavin' patriotic at others and entertaining from start to finish. Like the Wolfe book, which it follows pretty closely, it provides you with a truckload of information about the astronauts and the program that NASA didn't want revealed in the midst of the Cold War. So you're getting an education the easy way. It seems that just about the entire cast had their first major breakthrough on "Right Stuff". Remarkable acting by all concerned parties. Donald Moffat (I hate to single any ONE actor out in this movie for special attention) does a turn as LBJ that belongs in the Satire Hall Of Fame. The editing is perfect. This movie is around 3 hours long and it just flies by. Great use of archival footage from NASA. <br /><br />It's an epic film that never feels like an epic film. Great moviemaking.( And I'm waiting for someone to make a film out of Wolfe's "A Man In Full". If James Garner is reading this...there's an Oscar with your name on it, Jim. Get the part!!!) And by all means, let the kids watch "Right Stuff" with you. This is what they mean by "a movie the whole family can love". Just start it early enough to get 'em to bed on time.