Summer science fiction movies are a fairly well defined commodity. We expect a special effects offering of space ships, lasers, aliens, explosions, and what the hell, maybe even a script. The spectacle is the star, so there's little sense spending big money on actors who will only be upstaged. Most films like Independence Day have such a pedigree, and it works just fine. ID4's boggling ticket sales testify that people are willing to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride, maybe a few times. Carl Sagan wanted to spin a different type of yarn. Instead of the tail wagging the dog, how about starting with a real situation and examining how fantastic events could come about? With the same elegance of his Cosmos series, Carl has brought the realism of astronomy to the classic First Contact theme.
Jody Foster plays Ellie Arroway, a driven astronomer in the SETI project. (That's `Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence' for the rest of us. ) Scraping for grants and fighting discouragement from other scientists, Ellie finally hits it big - a strong signal from space. This is the jumping-off point for many films, such as ID4 and The Arrival, but this movie sticks with her chimera. The signal is rich with complexity, and it includes what appear to be blueprints for a transport device. An invitation? Do we dare build it? Who gets to go? Who funds it? As in the real world, these questions draw flies from the scientific establishment, the White House, religious factions, and most certainly the media. Ellie becomes helpless as these groups wrest away her prize for their own football game.
Contact has a great cast, and no one is wasted. Perennial good guy Tom Skerrit plays a rat - a politically powerful scientist whos does everything to discourage Ellie's snipe hunt. Once the signal comes in, he tries to shoulder her out, positioning himself as the spokesman and scientific coordinator with the White House. James Woods plays a vulpine national security adviser wanting to comandeer the project, fearing an `invasion.' Angela Basset plays a harried presidential aide, capably herding all the factions (not a `black' role..congrats, Angela). I almost didn't recognize John Hurt as a bald-headed Howard Hughes-type magnate who becomes Ellie's fairy godmother. Matthew McConoughy plays a love interest, who is also part of the religious faction and the astronaut selection comittee. Ellie's views are agnostic at best, and this brings about a conflict not only with him, but with the committee as well.
As a good scientist, Ellie knows that `no data' forces only one conclusion. She feels that people have a need to believe, hence they do. But the movie (gently) makes it clear that her need to believe in ET intelligence and its benevolence is just another flavor of the same thing. People nervous about examining the theological implications should be comfortable with the resolution.
Well, as the coming attractions show you, Ellie does get to go, but there's no point in divulging any more. The real trip is her struggle with people clambering all over her project. A certain sweetness is added by memories of her departed father (good job by David Morse), who was so supportive of her early curiosity. I found that these scenes stayed with me as much as the special effects. And high marks to director Bob Zemeckis for using the effects to aid in telling the story, instead of competing with it. And special praise to Jody Foster for yet another brilliant performance. All through the film, I was watching Ellie Arroway, feeling what she felt - I didn't catch myself seeing Jody Foster acting. Try that in a Tom Cruise movie. When she won her two Oscars, I agreed with the choice, but I think it took this film to make me realize that maybe it isn't just the great roles she's had..she really is one of the best.
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