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Written by: Bruce A. Evans, Raynold Gideon
Directed by: John Carpenter
Starring: TJeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, M.C. Gainey
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer
Plot
An alien takes the form of a young widow's husband and makes her drive him across the country. The government tries to stop them.
Verdict
An alien coming to Earth isn't a new idea, but this movie excels in knowing when to hold back. Not every alien prop can look realistic, and this movie doesn't even try. That's to its benefit. The most important point the movie might make is that this advanced species came to Earth to observe. Earthlings response is aggressive This movie is a physical and emotional journey. The pacing is great, and the conclusion's strength is the subtlety. It doesn't try to do too much, and neither does the movie overall. It's very deliberate, knowing exactly what to do and what not to do. Trying to show the aliens would only distract from the journey.
Watch it.
Review
John Carpenter had an amazing run of movies in the '80s, though my favorite is Big Trouble in Little China, the movie he directed after Starman.
An alien (Jeff Bridges) comes to Earth. The alien takes the form of Jenny's (Karen Allen) deceased husband Scott. Seeing that transformation is a trip because I'm guessing those are practical effects. This starts a physical and emotional journey across the country.
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| Karen Allen and Jeff Bridges play Jenny and Scott/Starman. |
Scott's mission is to meet with his species and leave Earth. Bridges does a great job of seeming like an alien that's seeing Earth for the first time. Jenny is basically kidnapped to aid his journey. She's looking for a way to run. A deer strapped to the hood of a Chevelle is the turning point Jenny. Scott has been transfixed by the dead deer. When she leaves for a moment Scott goes to the deer and is able to revive the deer. It's a great scene, and we know that is the moment that will change her mind and stop her trying to flee.
This is the type of movie that makes you question human customs and characteristics we take for granted. The plot is simple, but the cross country journey is anything but easy. Jenny has her husband back, but it's not really him. It's easy to confuse the two. The alien looks and sounds like Scott. That has to be hard for her, to want something and almost have. Instead she just has a facsimile. The movie doesn't get into it, but it's likely Starman is better than Scott. That would make for an interesting detail to explore.
The amazing contradiction introduced compares this advanced species that came to Earth to observe with humans who find an advanced species and want to kill it. Nothing illustrates how primitive humans can be better than that fact.
The movie has a great pace with Scott and Jenny chased by the government and Scott on a timeline to meet his species. I give the movie credit for not showing the aliens. A lot of movies fall into that trap and not every extraterrestrial monster looks as good as Alien or Aliens. The movie's power is its restraint. It doesn't try to do or show too much.
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