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Starman
1984 115 min United States of America PG 12+
★7.5
Science Fiction, Romance, Drama
Director: John Carpenter
Trailers
EN
Teaser
Description
When an alien takes the form of a young widow's husband and asks her to drive him from Wisconsin to Arizona, the government tries to stop them.
Budget:
$22M
US Gross:
$28.74M
Worldwide:
$28.74M
Starring
Jeff Bridges
Actor
Karen Allen
Actor
Charles Martin Smith
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 1985
— Best Actor
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 1985
— Best Original Score
Saturn Awards 1985
— Best Actress
Saturn Awards 1985
— Best Science Fiction Film
Golden Globe 1985
— Best Actor (Drama)
Key opinion
Starman is widely regarded as a unique and emotionally resonant entry in John Carpenter’s filmography, blending science fiction with a heartfelt, character-driven road movie. While a minority of viewers find the script illogical or the 1980s effects dated, the consensus highlights a stellar, nuanced performance by Jeff Bridges that anchors the film’s romantic and thematic depth.
| Acting | Jeff Bridges delivers a nuanced, Oscar-nominated performance that anchors the film and effectively captures the alien's physical and emotional transformation. | |
| Score | Jack Nitzsche’s synth-heavy score is widely praised for perfectly capturing the film’s atmospheric and melancholic tone. | |
| Emotion | The film succeeds as an unexpectedly moving romantic drama that highlights human resilience and complexity through the lens of an outsider. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is viewed by some as a charming and coherent genre fusion, while others criticize it as illogical, sentimental, and reliant on thin plot contrivances. | |
| Production | Viewers are split on the visual presentation: some appreciate the low-key, understated aesthetic, while others find the dated 80s effects and lack of spectacle to be underwhelming or primitive. |