Starman (1984) User Reviews

E.T. for adults

[Clive-Silas · 8/10 · 5 June 2003]

I'm amazed more people didn't point out the similarities in plot to E.T. when this adult version of basically the same tale came out. Maybe it was because Jeff Bridges performance is absolutely mesmerising, that you're much more interested in the characters than the plot, so you don't notice.

Basically, a perfect little movie. Beautifully and simply set up, the characters develop naturally in such a way that keeps you hooked right through to the end of the film. The strength of the central relationship distracts you from little infelicities, such as the fact that "Jennyhayden" seems remarkably incurious about her alien visitor - even after she gets to know him, it's not until he's about to leave that she asks him what his world is like! The film nicely points out the irony of our having extended welcoming greetings to the Universe, while our own mutual distrust causes us to shoot down every unexpected flying visitor. Having established that, however, Richard Jaekel's character seems to be pursuing the violent solution for its own sake without really exploring any motivation. When Charles Martin Smith points out that our behaviour does appear a little rude, Jaekel doesn't even have an answer for him - he's just going to try to kill the alien because that's his role in the movie I guess!

"Do you know what I find most beautiful about you? You are at your best when things are at their worst."

Well, it has been 19 years - I guess that the "boy baby" has grown up. Time for the sequel, methinks!!

When you wish upon a Starman

[Oliver-50 · 7/10 · 31 December 2004]

Jeff Bridges is one of my favorite actors and it's a shame that he has not yet won an Oscar. He has been acting for thirty-five years and only been nominated four times. Starman (1984) gave him his third nomination and while he had tough competition that year, F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce in Amadeus, his performance is brilliant and every bit as good. The way that Bridges takes the character and the little glitches in his movement and speech are fascinating. It is a complete transformation and it's flawless. I was reminded of how Dustin Hoffman played his character in Rain Man with all his little stutters and twitching, but Hoffman studied the disease and had something to work with. Bridges pulls this performance off from scratch and hits a bullseye. Karen Allen and Charles Martin Smith are both good as well and the score is wonderful. The story may be a bit derivative and there are some story lulls, but who cares. This is a must-see movie simply for Bridges performance.

*** out of ****

Jeff Bridges was never this good!

[Truman_Burbank · 8/10 · 27 February 2001]

I have always admired Jeff Bridges, but it wasn't until now that I realized he made movies when he was younger. So I was surprised to see him in this role as an alien who does not understand anything of what's happening here on earth. I can now understand why he became such a star. His performance is really good, maybe one of the best things Bridges ever did in his career! But the movie is good on all levels. A strong story, that succeeds in avoiding all the predictable jokes about a stranger getting to know the customs of a new environment (like e.g. Crocodile Dundee, or Blast from the Past), good actors, strong directing and great special effects (Bridges' transformation from a baby to an adult!) that never predominate the rest of the story. It's hard to believe this movie is already 18 years old! Like many of these '80-movies, it has this timeless quality that makes a movie worth watching even twenty years later (just like Out of Africa, The Natural, Tootsie, E.T., Blade Runner,...). If you're looking for a sweet and strong movie that gets into your heart, watch this!

Bridges Brings "Starman" To Life

[jhclues · 7/10 · 12 September 2000]

In a joint venture by the governments of the world, a space probe is launched into the farthest reaches of the Galaxy bearing a message from the United Nations, as well as `Greetings' in fifty-four languages; it's purpose is to attempt to contact any extraterrestrial life and proffer an invitation to visit us here on Earth. In `Starman,' directed by John Carpenter, Jeff Bridges stars as the alien who responds, only to be met with a less than cordial greeting once he arrives. Encountering hosts with a militaristic, if-you-can't-identify-it-shoot-it-down attitude, Starman is forced to take refuge and elude the very ones he has traveled so far to see. The burning question of course is, why? And, unfortunately, nobody seems to know. For his striking portrayal of Starman, Bridges deservedly received a Best Actor nomination from the Academy, and it proves to be the highlight of the film. From the outset, even as he is transformed into the vessel he must occupy during his stay with us ( a terrific sequence), his presence on the screen is captivating. He truly creates a unique character, distinct in form and substance, from the physical gestures that define him, to the subtle emotional depth he so aptly demonstrates and uses so well to convey to us who this being really is. It is through him that we are drawn in to this story of the travails with which he is beset during his sojourn upon our world, and with him we can only try to understand the motivation of powerful men who seem to live their lives in fear of the unknown or diverse. As Jenny Hayden, the young woman who through circumstances beyond her control becomes involved with Starman, Karen Allen adds just the right touch of sympathy to underscore the emotional situation in which Jenny finds herself ensconced. And there's just enough chemistry between her and Bridges to make this special relationship between their characters work effectively. Ultimately, how they relate to one another, and the tenderness with which they pursue their objective, becomes the real thrust and focal point of the story. Carpenter, in fact, would have been well advised to have stayed more within the parameters of that relationship and explored the workings thereof, rather than divesting the story into other, less fruitful areas and surrounding the main characters with a plethora of stringent stereotypes. While an entertaining film, `Starman' is surprisingly lacking in originality and imagination, both in story and direction; not to say this isn't a worthwhile endeavor, because it is, and it's definitely worth seeing. But it just seems that Carpenter could have mined the emotional depths a little more, developed the connection between Starman and Jenny more fully. Had he taken that path, this could have been a truly exceptional movie. As it is, it's a good film, better than the average sci-fi offering (especially for it's time, 1984), but given that Bridges brought so much to this with his creation of such a memorable character, the movie as a whole could have been so much more. The supporting cast includes Charles Martin Smith (Mark), Richard Jaeckel (Fox), Robert Phalen (Major Bell), Dirk Blocker (Cop #1) and M.C. Gainey (Cop #2). Although it is not what you would call a `great' or `classic' movie, `Starman' does succeed in making us take pause to reconsider some of our possibly preconceived notions of the way things are or should be; in the end, it's a call for understanding and love between all people everywhere, and a proposition put forth for universal peace. And with a theme like that, combined with the terrific performance by Bridges, you could do a lot worse for an evenings entertainment. I rate this one 7/10.

Atypical and very likable Carpenter offering

[Red-Barracuda · 7/10 · 17 January 2017]

Starman is certainly a bit of a departure for director John Carpenter. It seems that after the box-office disappointment of The Thing (1982) he decided that his next return to the alien film should be something less scary and more in line with the E.T. (1982) template. The result is a John Carpenter film that is decidedly more gentle natured than we had seen up to that point. After learning about humanity from the space probe Voyager 2 an alien crash lands on Earth and assumes the identity of a dead man. He enlists the reluctant help of the wife of this deceased individual in his mission to return home. Needless to say, the authorities pursue him, hell bent on preventing his departure.

This change of pace for Carpenter is another film which shows the care he gave to all his movies. The story is solid, if nothing especially great. But it's nicely shot and paced, with some engaging performances, especially from Karen Allen as the bemused woman taken along for the ride by the alien. Jeff Bridges puts in an original enough turn as the starman, although it is definitely quite surprising he was Oscar nominated for it. In essence this is a road movie with a romantic sub-plot that is based around a sci-fi premise. It's fairly successful in each of its sub-genres and is a very likable piece of work overall. And for what it's worth, I much preferred it to E.T.

Great film, no allegory

[quevaal · 7/10 · 11 July 2006]

I saw this on TV the other night, and liked it quite a lot. The reason why I felt the need to write about it was a comment by some other guy that the film had "very heavy religious overtones". I think that's wrong, because I'm quite wary of things like that and I watched the whole movie without giving the possibility any thought. (I only saw the comment after wards, and I'm glad it didn't affect me when I watched the film.)

Spoiler below: In particular, Starman did use violence when threatened. The man on the road & the hunter both had it coming. In the end when there was a big hunt, he was clearly less powerful and could not use his abilities. Besides, the religious "allegory" alternates between Starman being "Jesus" (healing the sick and awaking the dead) and Starman being "Gabriel" (impregnating the woman).

A hint of religious inspiration? Maybe. "Very heavy religious overtones"? Not at all.

A wonderful film full of hope for the human race.

[mattt8 · 9/10 · 23 December 1998]

Through the eyes of an alien, we view our world. Such is the beauty of John Carpenter's 'Starman'. His gentle alien comes in the form of a human clone (Jeff Bridges), and as we watch him interact with the rest of our race, we see both the good and the bad in all of us. It is this particular role that I find to be Jeff Bridge's most superb acting (or close to it, given his amazing work in 'The Fisher King'). To me he always did seem an alien in an unfamiliar human body, rather than the actor "Jeff Bridges". While there is certainly some over-simplification in the movie, and it can get a little sappy, I find the 'sap' in this case to be both touching and beautiful. How wonderful, how sad, how miraculous, to watch ourselves through the innocent and wise eyes of this alien being. A brilliant look at human beings, a sweet love story, and an excellent exploration of our spirit.

I mean you no harm

[FellowMovieBuff · 7/10 · 6 January 2003]

What a great movie. Although nearly 20 years old it still holds an audience. For all those lovers of things out of this world this movie should be a must see.

A road trip movie with a feel good ending.

You may be shocked to read that this is one of the best science fiction movies ever made

[dee.reid · 10/10 · 16 November 2008]

John Carpenter directed "Starman" in 1984, hot off the mega-success of the landmark horror movie "Halloween" in 1978 and the cult science fiction/adventure flick "Escape from New York" in 1981. "Starman" was a significant departure and change-of-pace from all of Carpenter's earlier works.

While essentially a science fiction story involving all the essentials - aliens, the United States Army, government cover-ups, a countrywide chase adventure and what's this, an intergalactic love story? - Carpenter is able to make sense of the material in such a way that it is both respectful to the sci-fi genre, the sci-fi fans, and to the audience members who may not give a crap about this sort of stuff and only want their corn popped.

The biggest surprise about "Starman" is the script by Bruce A. Evans and Raynold Gideon. They're able to strip a laughable story of all that makes it laughable and create something new, something that is intelligent, heart-warming, action-packed, and romantic. Carpenter takes his cues from the material and makes everything in this wondrous sci-fi/action piece his own. And who can forget that awesome synthesizer score by Jack Nitzsche (strange since Carpenter usually composes his own film scores)?

Evans and Gideon's script, taking its cues from "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951) and "E.T. the Extraterrestrial" (1982), concerns an alien who has come to Earth after answering an invitation he found on the Voyager II space probe. However, his ship is attacked by fighter jets and he manages to make it to the Wisconsin cabin of young widow Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen), still grieving the death of her husband. After sampling DNA taken from a lock of hair of her late husband, the alien grows into a human clone of him, where he is now played by the actor Jeff Bridges.

After overcoming the obvious speech barrier when he learns to speak in English, Starman then requests that Jenny Hayden drive him from Wisconsin to Arizona, where he will meet the mother ship that will take him back to his home planet. Unfortunately, they only have a few days before he'll die from what we can only guess is exposure to our atmosphere. Matters are further complicated when the military becomes involved, desperate to catch Starman at all costs, much to the horror of laboratory rat Mark Shermin (Charles Martin Smith). Along the way, Jenny grows from being fearful of this visitor from another planet, to respecting him and finally loving him, while he gets to learn about human beings and BEING human.

It's not enough to say that both Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen are this film's magical centerpiece. They certainly make for one of the most dynamic, unusual and interesting screen couples in cinematic history, certainly one of the best screen couples in the history of science fiction cinema. The real stand-out of course is Bridges. This is a role that he rightfully received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for. We see no trace of the actor "Jeff Bridges" in there, all we see is "Starman," defined largely by his awkward mannerisms and patterns of speech, and it is a skillful, humorous, and touching performance that is the pure anti-thesis to Carpenter's earlier "The Thing" (1982).

John Carpenter, unfortunately, has not received a whole lot of recognition for this picture. Although it remains his only film to go to the Oscars, I only hope that this touching, once-in-a-lifetime science fiction/adventure-romance gets the recognition it so rightfully deserves.

10/10

Total surprise

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 20 August 2012]

Given director John Carpenter's predilection for horror - I'm thinking HALLOWEEN and THE THING, of course - you wouldn't imagine him to be best suited to the job of directing STARMAN, a cross-country romance with a science fiction twist. And yet he does a blinding job, and STARMAN proves to be a fine little movie; in parts poignant, touching and altogether human.

Although this film came out in the wake of E.T., I find it superior to the overly-sentimental Spielberg movie. The storyline is subtle and the developing central relationship is slow paced, taking time to get to know the protagonists and present them in a realistic light. The love story between Allen and Bridges is low key throughout, and even the love scenes are handled sensitively.

Allen has always seemed to me to be a completely natural actress, free from artifice; she has a rare ability to inhabit her roles which makes you wonder why she didn't become a bigger name. Opposite her in an Oscar-nominated performance stands Jeff Bridges, playing it kooky and mannered as the alien-in-a-man's-body; there's something oddly moving about his role in this film and he soon had me completely engaged in his character.

Yes, I'll admit that I shed a tear or two at the moving climax, even though I'm a totally non-romantic person when it comes to films and you can usually find me watching gory horror flicks instead. Saying that, watch out for the utterly eerie scene at the opening when a baby transforms into a man. This scene scared the hell out of me when I saw it as a kid, and even today the icky sound and physical effects bring to mind a certain ice-bound Carpenter classic!

"Define Love"

[Chazzzzz · 10/10 · 30 October 1999]

This beautiful and funny science fiction film comes very close to being my all-time favorite movie. This film is about love. An alien lands on Earth to investigate the life-forms, and encounters Karen Allen. A cross-country chase ensues as our alien has to meet up with his starship in Arizona.

But for me, the main point of this film is not the chase, the cloning by the alien, the humor throughout the film, or the eventual outcome which led into the subsequent TV series. The focal point comes in the diner where our alien asks Karen Allen to "Define Love." If everyone would take this definition to heart, this world would be a much better place!

This is what movie making should strive to achieve. This film has virtually everything... romance, humor, action, suspense, a gorgeous soundtrack, beautiful cinematography, an intelligent screenplay with a most important message, and talented actors and actresses. I gave it a SOLID 10!

A sci-fi love story...by John Carpenter!

[preppy-3 · 7/10 · 26 July 2001]

An extraterrestrial's (Jeff Bridges) "vehicle" is shot down by the government over Wisconsin. To be rescued by his mother ship he must get to Arizona in three days. He takes on the form of a dead woman's husband and has her (Karen Allen) drive him to Arizona. Slowly, she begins to fall in love and he starts to feel for her also. Quiet, very gentle sci-fi movie. I never thought Carpenter could pull off a non-horror film, but he does. His direction is (as always) superb and totally complements the romantic feel of the picture (the boxcar sequence at the end was soooooo beautiful!). Sometimes, I wished the film were a little more noisy and rough, but that probably would have destroyed the mood.

The acting is excellent. Allen does wonders with a very difficult role--I've always liked her and this is one of her best performances. Bridges is superb (he was rightly Oscar-nominated for this)...he totally makes you believe he's an alien in a human body. His moves are jerky, he observes everything, he speaks in an uneven voice--just perfect! Also the score by Jack Nitzsche is perfect--fits the film like a glove.

Only one complaint**WARNING: HUGE SPOILER AHEAD!!!!** At the end Starman gets her pregnant and leaves. Don't you think the government is going to find out about that? Then what will they do to her and her unborn baby? It struck me every time I saw the movie. Still, this is a nice, hopeful movie.

Well worth seeing. Also, great special effects even by today's standards.

The earlier you saw it, the more fondly you probably remember it...

[Howlin Wolf · 5/10 · 20 April 2006]

... because over 20 years later, it doesn't seem to have held up all that well, dating markedly. Back in '84, I guess E.T. fever was still running high and a similarly told tale that was nothing more than competent was enough to rekindle the memories. Watching it in 2006 for the first time as I did today, I personally expected a lot more from a Carpenter favourite.

As mentioned, he does well enough in the directors chair, but the script doesn't have his name on it, and it shows. Our Starman seems to have powers that are written as flexible according to what's happening with the plot at the time, which is hardly awe-inspiring if you've got the scope to craft an otherworldly being. He can learn to drive a car just by watching us, and yet he can NEVER get around to becoming a decent mimic of our speech patterns??? (Studio: "talking funny is endearing to the audience, keep it in!!!!!") Bridges does what the role asks of him (and got an Oscar nomination for it) but any admirer who's seen a representative sample of his work knows that behaving quizzically with a halting voice and beguiling charm is not exactly testing for him, he is capable of so much more. Karen Allen is a wonderfully pretty and talented actress but she didn't manage to 'sell' me the burgeoning romance between her and her co-star, here. So far as I could surmise, the character is seduced by an alien because he LOOKS the same as her dead hubby... So, 'personality' isn't important, then?? The entire romance is like trite manipulation, and it's even worse when the script attempts to describe love, because the sentiment is pretty accurate, but the practical demonstration of chemistry before our eyes isn't.

Moving away from the main characters, all that's left is the big bad military bogeymen of the Cold-War era getting involved. Yeah yeah, it was a recurring theme throughout the 80's, it's nothing fresh. In fact, I can't think of a single scene that felt specific to this one particular film I was watching, it all felt somewhat stale; so either it's been ripped off too much in the intervening years by its multitude of descendants, or else it wasn't all that 'inventive' in the first place. If you saw it when you were a kid, it also might be a personal favourite, but I don't think it's made the transition well into an adult sphere. If you're in the mood for some Close-style Encounters and you've overdosed on watching the Extra-Terrestrial, you might find this adequate to stoke your obsession as a stopgap; just don't expect a cosmic experience or you'll come crashing down to earth, because this really is a touch mundane.

Great Allegory

[roneal · 9 August 2004]

Reading all the comments on this film, I had to add my own. Unusual thing about the comments is that none were heavily negative. Good film in my opinion too. But only one viewer comment mentioned something that jumped out as I watched, and that is the heavy, but very heavy religious overtones in the film. A creature from the heavens comes to earth, assumes human form, has nothing but good intentions toward those who would capture him, has the power of life and death in his hands (the resurrection of the deer and Karen Allen), has to ascend to the heavens in 3 days, gives a boy baby to Jenny (who can't have a child) in a cattle car (manger) who will "be a teacher and know all that I know". They even point out a star in the heavens that is the home of Starman. The allegory is strong and delightful to watch. Of course the ending is a perfect set-up for a sequel when Starman leaves the one remaining "power ball" in Jenny's hand saying that the boy would know what to do with it. With one exception, no movie I have ever seen with a Roman numeral after it was worth a bag of beans, and that was Godfather II. Starman does not need a sequel. You can write one, in your own mind, in your own way.

And then there is Dutch apple pie...........

Oh wow, this was so good!

[paulclaassen · 7/10 · 27 December 2020]

At the time John Carpenter made 'Starman', he was widely regarded as a horror director, with films like 'Halloween', 'The Fog', 'The Thing' and 'Christine'. Being a John Carpenter film, 'Starman' could very well have gone into so many different directions. Instead, this is a very reserved and believable alien movie.

'Starman' has a simple premise, and I rather enjoyed this simplicity. Having intercepted a message from Earth, an alien is sent to Earth to make contact. However, his craft is shot down. Now, the alien only has three days to live, and needs to get to Arizona in order to be saved by his kind. The film follows Jenny (Karen Allen) and the alien, Starman, on a journey across country to Arizona. What follows, is a hilarious, action-packed adventure. When I say hilarious, this is not a comedy, but there are some real funny moments thanks to Starman's ignorance and rather failed attempt at being human. He doesn't understand English very well, and neither can he comprehend some of humanity's customs.

'Starman' features excellent and very sincere performances by Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen. This is a fun action adventure with a powerful message and a beautiful ending. I loved this! I actually never expected it to be this good!

Love story between woman and alien narrated with good feeling and high sensibility

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 30 October 2005]

The film talks about a widow (Karen Allen) who solely lives in a countryside cottage and embittered for his husband's death when suddenly crashes a craft appearing an alien that takes shape from him (Jeff Bridges). He brings a rare balls with possibility making prodigies . Starman abducts her but they fall in love and she'll help him to travel cross country for an encounter in Arizona State . They're pursued by a scientific (Charles Martin Smith) , authorities(Richard Jaeckel) and army .

It's a sensitive romance story where duo starring is splendid . The picture is an agreeable romantic tale with adventures , suspense , tension , comedy and results to be pretty entertaining . It's a feeling and agreeable motion picture , including a crossover between Love Story (Arthur Hiller) , ET (Spielberg) , Walt Disney's imagination and road movies . Jeff Bridges as the likable , naive , stranger but vulnerable Starman is top-notch . Karen Allen (recently successful with ¨Raiders of the lost Ark¨) is enticing and sensual . Jack Nietzche score is moving and touching , though with excessive use of synthesizer ,I miss symphonic music . Starman transformation is carried out by the three greatest artists on make-up : Dick Smith , Rick Baker and Stan Winston . The picture was very well directed by John Carpenter . Being the only John Carpenter film to have an Academy Award nomination , Jeff Bridges as Best Actor . The main reason for which Carpenter directed 'Starman' was that after the box-office disaster of The Thing (1982), he needed to make a movie that was the complete opposite of what 'The Thing' was so he could continue to work in Hollywood . The pic obtained important reception by the public and attained quite a few success at box office . Some years later , it was followed by a television series with Robert Hays as Starman . The yarn will appeal to science fiction and romantic cinema fans. Rating : Good and enjoyable.

Very enjoyable Sci-Fi offering; not entirely original, but I didn't care.

[callanvass · 7/10 · 28 August 2013]

Starman is directed with panache and confidence by one of my all time favorite directors John Carpenter; what follows is a fairly memorable ride. It's slightly derivative, but it's so entertaining, it didn't matter in the whole scheme of things. The heart and soul of this movie is Jeff Bridges; the weight falls on his shoulders, and he is more than up for the task. He could have played the role in very corny fashion, but he felt like somebody that wasn't human. Watching him evolve throughout the film was a delight to watch, and so was his chemistry with Karen Allen. Karen Allen is pretty awesome herself in a more subtle way. She is extremely likable, and very easy on the eyes to boot. There were a couple questionable decisions I had with her character, but other than that, she was excellent. I didn't care for the "government trying to stop him" thing though. It's a natural part of the movie and had to happen, but I thought it was rather blandly done and they didn't go far enough with it. They redeemed themselves with a pretty good ending to end things on.

Final Thoughts: Minor carps aside, I really enjoyed this film. It deserves to be talked about in the upper echelon of Carpenter's films. If you're a fan of Jeff Bridges & John Carpenter, or just want a solid Sci-Fi film to watch, this is a good selection

7.5/10

Welcome to Earth

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 20 January 2014]

In 1977, the Voyager 2 travels to the outer space with messages of peace and greetings from Earth. A small alien spacecraft comes to Earth to make contact with Earthlings but the military airplanes shoot it down. The spacecraft crashes in Chequamegon Bay, Wisconsin and the alien wanders in a form of energy to the house of the young widow Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen), where he uses the DNA from a hair of her husband Scott (Jeff Bridges) to take his human form. The Starman contacts his mother ship and he needs to be in a crater Arizona in a couple of days to return to his star; otherwise he will be left behind and will die.

The Starman forces Jenny to take him to Arizona and she is hostile with him in the beginning. However, she learns that he is a peaceful being and she chooses to help him. But the army is chasing them and the despicable NSA chief George Fox (Richard Jaeckel) wants to hunt him down while the SETI scientist Mark Shermin (Charles Martin Smith) wants to help The Starman since he is sure that he has come to visit Earth peacefully.

"Starman" is still a wonderful sci-fi after thirty years. Nominated to the Oscar and to the Golden Globe, Jeff Bridges has magnificent performance and chemistry with Karen Allen. John Carpenter succeeds once again and makes a movie with a beautiful story, with drama, romance, action and humor. I saw this movie many times in the past on VHS but today I saw it on Blu-Ray. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Starman - O Homem das Estrelas" ("Starman - The Man from the Stars")

Note: On 25 Aug 2020, I saw this film again.

The Stars Are Out Tonight!!!

[zhennis · 7/10 · 24 October 2010]

If anyone can take a movie which involves extraterrestrials coming to our planet and close the door on the sci-fi elements of the story, it's John Carpenter. The films relationship to outer space is quickly closed off and the film's focus becomes the relationship between humanity and alien-life as it exists in a complicated relationship of love. Jenny Hayden (played by Karen Allen) finds it difficult to accept that her late husband's image is being used by an alien so it can stay somewhat undercover from our government forces. After Jenny discovers that Starman means her no harm and the alien desperately needs to get him before Earth's elements kill him. Jenny becomes sympathetic towards him and even begins to fall in love. The question that remains is whether or not, with the aid of Jenny, Starman can return home safely.

Obviously when you require a human actor to successfully portray a visitor from another planet while in a human body, one needs to choose a talented cast. The acting by Jeff Bridges is exquisite as he is able to show how understanding and misunderstanding the English language as well as facial expressions impacts the level of success in regards to communication. With his limited knowledge of the English language and his unfamiliarity with human expressions, Bridges must portray a being that not only does not understand but does not become frustrated with the complexities of human behavior.

This John Carpenter film differs from his other directing jobs simply because he does not use the same style and techniques that he frequently used in films such as Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, and the Fog. Despite being stripped of Carpenter's 'Carpenter-ness', the film is shot very well and keeps it simple. The acting as well as the light-hearted story, carry this film, as opposed to Carpenter using his techniques in the aforementioned films to carry them to their respective conclusions. Overall, this film successfully portrays the love story, the sci-fi subtext, and human misunderstanding.

Deserves a galaxy of stars, does Starman; lovely film with superb acting and a terrific story

[inkblot11 · 10/10 · 11 January 2012]

In the 1970's, NASA launched a probe to the universe, one may remember. Inside was a map of earth's position, a recording of greetings in several languages and some information about the blue planet's conditions. Also included were some rock n roll songs, like Satisfaction! Now, its the early 1980's and there has been no response yet from the world beyond. Until now. An alien being (Jeff Bridges) comes to earth, after finding the probe, but his ship goes off course and instead of landing in Arizona, near a famous crater, it goes down in Wisconsin. Nearby is a young widow, Jenny (Karen Allen) who is still grieving over her husband Scott's death. As she sleeps, the alien enters her home, finds a scrapbook of memories of Scott and clones his body from a lock of hair. When Jenny hears noises, she is terrified to discover her the new "Scott" in her home! The alien has grabbed her gun and explains that he needs her to drive him to Arizona, in order to reconnect with another spaceship from his planet. Still very afraid, Jenny has no choice. But, at first, she tries to alert other travelers that she has been kidnapped. The alien always manages to foil her pleas for help and keep them on the road. Soon, amazingly, Jenny discovers that the Alien means her no harm and the two develop a strong friendship, one universal creature to another. It is just at this moment that the two learn that NASA scientists are on their trail, hoping to kidnap Scott and "study" him. Jenny knows now that unless he can leave earth, he will die. Will the Alien make it to Arizona and escape the clutches of the American astronomers? This terrific film deserves as many stars as critics and viewers can muster. First, Bridges is downright superb in his portrayal of an Alien being trapped in a human body. He was nominated for an Academy Award, that's how good he is. Allen, Charles Martin Smith, and all of the other numerous cast members do great work as well. Naturally, since the sets goes cross country, one gets a good look at the expansive American terrain while the script and direction are of the finest. Have you missed Starman, especially if you were born after its release? In the ever-increasing catalogue of world films, it still stands out.

The most heartfelt film of Carpenter's career

[eddie_baggins · 7/10 · 15 April 2020]

The only film in his glorious career to be nominated for any form of Academy Award (a nomination for its lead actor Jeff Bridges), Starman is not the film that is often talked about when we discuss the career of John Carpenter but his heartfelt and emotional sci-fi is arguably his most accessible and optimistic in a filmography filled with far more bleak and oppressive offerings.

Bought to life by Carpenter in the wake of The Thing's box office failings in an attempt to showcase to Hollywood bigwigs that he was indeed capable of making mass-marketable features, Starman never set the world on fire upon release but over 30 years on from release the film remains eminently watchable and enjoyable as we witness Jeff Bridges visiting alien go on a picturesque road trip of the USA with Karen Allen's grieving widow Jenny.

One of the only films in Carpenter's catalogue that doesn't see him provide score work (here overseen by a Jack Nitzsche accompaniment), Starman sees Carpenter restrain his usual tendencies for over the top violence and horror elements to dial things right back to the simplistically humane and heart-warming as Bridge's visitor learns the ways of human beings whilst slowly but surely falling for Jenny, who displays to him the empathy and kindness that shows the best of what humanity has to offer.

There's nothing ground-breaking about the story as such but Carpenter manages to steer clear of the overly melodramatic or manipulative as he instead gets his audience to consider the finer things in life, whilst also showcasing his beloved America to the world, done so by some great on-site location work in some of the country's most beautiful and unique surrounds, a highlight of which includes a helicopter heavy finale in the barren lands of Arizona.

Front and centre throughout all of these happenings is Bridges and Allen who manage to create some great chemistry together, a chemistry that grows throughout the film from some slightly awkward moments early on into an extremely likeable friendship/romance in the latter stages, one that builds to a strong crescendo in the final moments, leaving Starman in a great place come the rolling of the final credits.

Watching Starman in today's climate means there are elements of the film that leave much to be desired, generic government goons and questionable plot developments key players in this area but with its heart in the right place and with its unique approach to a well-worn Hollywood formula, Starman is the John Carpenter film you never knew you needed.

Final Say -

One of John Carpenters most surprising and affectionate films, Starman may not be the famed director's best work but it's well worth tracking down for a first time viewing or a long overdue re-watch.

3 ½ pieces of cobbler out of 5

Still Brings a tear

[kristhebass · 10/10 · 31 July 2022]

Even after almost 40 years and countless times of watching, it still brings a tear to my eye, it's very heart warming.

Ignore the ignorant bad reviews, it's nothing like ET, as some one accused it of being a rip off. It's a love story with a man from outer space. Worst film ever is another one, boy you are lucky to have missed most of the Sci-Fi channels productions, they suck, this one doesn't, Sure it's a bit dated but then so is ET.

As for the complaints about Jeff Bridges acting, he was playing an alien in a foreign, to him, body, if he had acted like a normal human, that wouldn't have been believable to me. It even melted someone's mind, I'm surprised he had a mind to melt.

I believe that is how the USA would treat an alien if he came to earth, if you don't understand it, shoot it.

I think some reviewers just hate anything they watch.

super star

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 7 October 2008]

John Carpenter, famous for horror, took a totally different approach with "Starman". And a really good one at that. Jeff Bridges plays an alien who lands on earth and materializes in the form of a woman's (Karen Allen) deceased husband. As happens frequently, the government then comes after him.

Part of how I interpreted this movie was the time when I watched it. I saw it in October 2001, right after the September 11 attacks. Whereas the country was in a state of fear, this film promotes tolerance, and it was good to see something like that in the midst of xenophobic fear-mongering.

But even aside from that, it's a really mesmerizing story. To reverse what the Rolling Stones sang, I got satisfaction through this movie. Also starring Charles Martin Smith (Toad in "American Graffiti").

Define boring

[LeRoyMarko · 4/10 · 21 January 2006]

Ah! the eighties when people use to see UFOs at every street corner! Uninteresting movie about alien coming to earth. While here, his only mission seems to be to catch the next bus home. Jeff Bridges performance is not bad but it's hard to believe that he got an Oscar nomination for it. Maybe that explains why I pay no attention to the so-called Academy. I could probably take the next few hours and write a script for a similar movie. "Look! They're running on the side of a crater in the middle of the desert. Menace to our dear country, let's shoot missiles at them!" And how can we not mention the always conveniently placed fuel truck on a little known highway?!?

Seen at home, in Toronto, on January 21st, 2006.

62/100 (*½)

Of course, you're entitled to ask the question: why did you rented it then? Answer: luckily, I got it for free at the local library. And the only reason I saw it is because I didn't rate it 20 years or so ago when I first view it.

A touching and thoughtful film on the nature of the human species

[Rachael-5 · 17 June 1999]

I concur with the other comment(s), and would add that Karen Allen puts on an excellent supporting performance as Jenny Hayden. Starman enables us to look upon our world and ourselves with fresh eyes, and we know as we are watching this film that despite our intentions to the best, that we would undoubtedly exploit an alien lifeform much as we exploit each other and the animal kingdom with which we share the Earth. It sends a message also about healing and grieving, and is all around one of Carpenter's best.