Michael Peña as astronaut Jose Hernandez is inspiring in “A Million Miles Away.” (photo courtesy of Prime Studios)

The feel-good story of the season has arrived in “A Million Miles Away,” based on the true story of a child of immigrant farm workers who eventually became an astronaut. It’s certainly formulaic, but the story is no less compelling.

Don’t expect any insider look into NASA. Jose doesn’t reach that point until the third act. Until then, we watch a young boy unable to set up roots since his parents move from town to town based on farm work that’s available. Is this all an obstacle, a social injustice that folks should uproot themselves at their kids’ expense to ensure a paycheck? Yes, but “Million Miles” accepts the Hernandez family’s situation as an accepted reality, no lingering on broader wrongs.

To help make do with a bad situation, a young Jose Hernandez (Juan Pablo Monterrubio) learns about the “five-ingredient recipe” to guide his life, wisdom instilled by his father (Julio Cesar Cedillo). Those ingredients provide chapter breaks as Jose (now Michael Peña) enters his first major engineering job post grad degree. He fights to be taken seriously, even though he’s confused for the janitor by some and forced to make copies instead of doing that whole science thing by others.

Amidst this, he meets Adela (Rosa Salazar from the wonderfully splendid “Undone”) along the way. They start a family, and Jose rises through the ranks. But he just can’t shake his desire to reach the stars, despite nearly a dozen rejection letters from the NASA program. So what makes all those candidates different? The answer to that question results in a delightful story.

Structurally, “Million Miles” follows a familiar formula all biopics succumb to. Hey, if it works, then keep rockin’. How else can the story of one man’s life traverse decades? Montage. And this one packs in quite a few to summarize his family’s many moves, rising the ranks as an engineer, training to boost his NASA application and training for space. Again, that’s all OK. Why should sports films get all the good montages anyway?

Perhaps a story more about his time in the NASA program would be a touch more compelling. At the very least, what would it look like if a film meant for public consumption tried to present engineering and, ya know, rocket science in a way that doesn’t entirely water down the lingo. Audiences are smarter than filmmakers think … or least they can be.

Instead, this is a family story. Jose clashes with his parents, interacts with the future in-laws, helps his cousin in the fields, reaches his dream with a supporting wife watching five kids. The rhetorical point is clear: Jose made his way on the shoulders of those who love him. The sacrifice of others aided his galactic accomplishments.

It’s a good story, an easy one to get behind and enjoy. It just doesn’t offer more than a single viewing, while something with a touch more depth and a bit more space travel and prep might crank this one up to the top 10 astronaut films.

What makes “Million Miles” work so well is the family dynamic. Jose’s family traditions are not forgotten or sidelined as he reaches for a goal no one around him has. This occurs with judgement on any kind of job. Early on, Jose seeks approval for becoming more than a janitor. What’s wrong with being a janitor? His father’s pushback on such a condescending perspective guides the story. After all, Jose, himself, is judged by others without merit, so best learn to stop doing so himself.

One particular narrative nugget relies on music. Listen to how pop music tells Jose’s story, particularly concerns he might be leaving his roots behind – a sandwich over enchiladas for lunch, a new car, Rick Astley over mariachi. It’s not a major theme that remains consistent all throughout, but it pays off nicely in the final moments.

This isn’t Peña’s boldest role, but it stands alone as the most sentimental. He hits all the marks, nails the few monologues and enjoys a few sweet moments with co-star Salazar. The pair make “A Million Miles Away” an inspiring story worth recommending.