Contact Review
by Tony Tellado (sfrevu AT aol DOT com)September 30th, 1997
Contact (review by Tony Tellado - Sci-Fi Talk)
CONTACT is by far the best movie of the summer. It's also probably the most engaging SF film of the decade. Jodie Foster just can't seem to give anything less than an Oscar worthy performance and her scientist Ellie Arroway is no exception. The movie deals with her relationship with her father who nurtured her interest in astronomy. David Morse plays a father that is nurturing and supportive in a wonderful father-daughter relationship. But the crux of the film deals with the long awaited answer from outer space that we are not alone. The film follows her trials and tribulations as she attempts to fund a project that listens for the signals via radio telescopes and fights to keep her share of the credit. Matthew McConaughey is impressive as the man in her life a religious man of faith who conflicts with scientist Arroway's just the facts attitude. This is one of the wonderful themes of CONTACT, the balance between science and faith. It seems that we all need a little of both to venture out in space. The cast includes James Woods as a wonderfully obnoxious Government official and the seldom used Angela Bassett who shines. Tom Skerritt and John Hurt of ALIEN fame add their talents to this ensemble, playing a cut throat scientist and eccentric billionaire, respectively. Director Robert Zemeckis of Forrest Gump fame has a reputation as a technical director, but handles his actors very well here blending special effects nicely. They enhance the story not dominate it. CONTACT is a story of exploration maybe not so much of outer space but humanity, and our reaction to this type of even. The film is dedicated to Carl Sagan who wrote the book along with his wife. This is a wonderful legacy to a man who tried to make science fun for us all, and shared his wonder of the universe
Copyright Ernest Lilley 1997 SFRevu
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
