There are mant differences between "october sky" the book and the movie.the director changed characters and key points in the plot.The movie had more action,which was good, but the book's story was more substantial.
I liked the book more than i did the movie.It made more sense than the movie did.The book had a bad habbit of jumping around.Plus the acting in the movie was horrible.they changed the dialogue to much.
The best scene in the book was when sonny got injured,and they left it out.Instead they were pulling up train tracks not pipe.Sonnys dad also wasn't as injured in the movie as he was in the book.
The movie also did stick with the book in some parts like, the rocket parts being stolen.The strike also ende in the same way as in the book.Sonny also blew up his mom's fence with his first rocket.
so,overall the movie and book were okay.There were some differences,but not to many to not to make it the same story.So either way you go you still get something good.But you still read the book anyway.