Bridges' portrayal of Starman can be as hard to take as the lapses in logic.
Starman (1984)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:23
Fresh:18
Rotten:5
Average Rating:6.5/10
Consensus: What initially begins as sci-fi transforms into a surprisingly sweet, offbeat drama, courtesy of John Carpenter's careful direction.
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
US Box Office: $0
Synopsis: A departure for director John Carpenter, STARMAN is a gentle, simple film that won accolades from critics and applause from audiences. Jeff Bridges plays the title character, an alien that has come... A departure for director John Carpenter, STARMAN is a gentle, simple film that won accolades from critics and applause from audiences. Jeff Bridges plays the title character, an alien that has come down to Earth on a peaceful scouting mission. When he takes the form of a recently widowed woman's dead husband he unintentionally involves her in his mission. The alien only has a few days to reach a rendezvous point where he will be picked up by his mothership. Along the way he must discover what he can about human beings and our civilization. He finds out plenty very quickly, as his relationship with the young widow grows very strong as they make their way to the rendezvous point. Meanwhile, the FBI is in hot pursuit after it discovers the discarded landing vehicle, and the alien's own health is deteriorating in Earth's foreign atmosphere. The story tells of the struggle for communication, the pain of letting go, and the search for understanding. Jeff Bridges gives an unforgettable performance as the gentle alien trying his best to cope with being a human. With STARMAN, Carpenter proves he is a master storyteller, not just of horror and science fiction, but of subtle, emotional drama as well. [More]
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel, Robert Phalen, Tony Edwards, John Walter Davis, Ted White, Dirk Blocker, M.C. Gainey, Sean Faro, George Flower, Russ Benning, Ralph Cosham, David Wells, Anthony Grumbach, James Deeth, Alex Daniels, Carol Rosenthal, Mickey Jones, Lu Leonard, Charles Hughes, Byron Walls, Betty Bunch, Victor McLemore, Steven Brennan, Pat Lee, Judith Kim, Ronald Colby, Robert Stein, Kenny Call
Director: John Carpenter, Bruce A. Evans
Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Larry J. Franco
Director: Bruce A. Evans
Screenwriter: Raynold Gideon
Composer: Jack Nitzsche
Reviews for Starman
There is little that is original in Starman, but at least it has chosen good models.
An enjoyable film filled with the kind of sensitivity, love, and humor seldom seen on today's screens.
It isn't pleasant to watch a talented filmmaker like John Carpenter willfully distort his personality to fit a commercial (read Spielbergian) profile, and only the opening suspense-horror sequences have the weight of real involvement.
The best special effects are in the first five minutes. Thereafter, it's all rather predictable.
Starman contains the potential to be a very silly movie, but the two actors have so much sympathy for their characters that the movie, advertised as space fiction, turns into one of 1984's more touching love stories.
Carpenter is a master of framing for widescreen, and Starman is certainly a forum for him to show off his prowess behind the lens.
In Mr. Bridges' hands [his role] becomes the occasion for a sweetly affecting characterization -- a fine showcase for the actor's blend of grace, precision and seemingly offhanded charm.
As science fiction, it's decent enough, but it finds its real power as a weird, offbeat romance. Bridges has rarely been better.
Provides an opportunity for us to look afresh at ourselves and to ponder what it means to be children of the Universe.
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