Thunderpants

Infobox Film
name = Thunderpants


caption = UK DVD cover
director = Peter Hewitt
producer = Damian Jones
Graham Broadbent
writer = Peter Hewitt
Phil Hughes
starring = Bruce Cook
Simon Callow
Stephen Fry
Paul Giamatti
Ned Beatty
Rupert Grint
music = Rupert Gregson-Williams
cinematography = Andy Collins
editing = Michael Parker
distributor = flagicon|United Kingdom Pathé
flagicon|United States The Weinstein Company
released = flagicon|United Kingdom May 24, 2002
flagicon|United States July 10, 2007
runtime = 87 min.
country = flagicon|UK
language = English
amg_id = 1:265272
imdb_id = 0283054

"Thunderpants" is a 2002 family film about a boy whose incredible capacity for flatulence gets him a job as an astronaut. The film was directed by Peter Hewitt, whose previous work included "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey" (1991) and "The Borrowers" (1997). The script was written by Phil Hughes, based on a story by Peter Hewitt about a boy who dreams to be a spaceman but has a problem with flatulence.

Plot

Born with two stomachs, Patrick Smash (Bruce Cook) is uncontrollably and devastatingly flatulent. No more than thirty seconds after his birth, he first broke wind, horrifying his parents (Bronagh Gallagher and Victor McGuire) and doctor (Robert Hardy). As he grew up, his flatulence became so uncontrollable and destructive that his father had to flee their home, as he was often injured by the power of his son's broken wind, a force so strong that it can blow people over and curtains open in one mere release. Patrick's unfortunate affliction left him prone to bullying. One incident at his school left him particularly humiliated. An important visitor was addressing the school during assembly and Patrick fought to control his flatulence, but he could not. He passed gas loudly, polluting the hall and disgracing the school. However, while he is physically weak, Patrick finds strength in his disorder and eventually seeks revenge on his main tormentor Damon (Joshua Herdman) by passing gas in his face, leaving the bully scarred for life. Patrick's only friend is child prodigy Alan A. Allen (Rupert Grint), who has anosmia and therefore, a resilience to Patrick's condition. Alan and Patrick team up, using Alan's intelligence and Patrick's lifelong dream of being an astronaut, to make Thunderpants, a space suit strong enough to contain Patrick's emissions. Suddenly, Patrick learns that Alan went to America with the government to assist astronauts who are trapped in outer space, and Patrick finds that his condition may be of use to the spacemen in peril.

Cast

*Bruce Cook as Patrick Smash.
*Rupert Grint as Alan A. Allen
*Simon Callow as Sir John Osgood
*Adam Godley as Placido P. Placeedo
*Stephen Fry as Sir Anthony Silk
*Celia Imrie as Miss Rapier
*Paul Giamatti as Johnson J. Johnson
*Ned Beatty as Gen. Ed Sheppard
*Bronagh Gallagher as Mrs. Smash
*Victor McGuire as Mr. Smash
*Anna Popplewell as Denise Smash
*Josh Herdman as Damon
*Leslie Phillips as Judge
*Robert Hardy as Doctor
*Keira Knightley as Music School Student (uncredited in the cast list but appears in the "Special Thanks" list)