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Contact, 1997
Ellie (Jodie Foster) is a scientist who is passionate about the search for evidence of extra-terrestrial life. When funding for her program is cut, she is able to get funds from an eccentric billionaire (John Hurt) and sets up an independent program. When Ellie manages to locate what seems to be communication from a distant solar system, it puts her in the center of a conflict between politics, science, faith, and her own dreams and aspirations.
I didn't quite know what to expect from this film, having always felt lukewarm when I looked at the cover. But dang if I didn't end up really loving it!
Jodie Foster (who, sidenote, looks SO GORGEOUS here!) is the beating heart of the film. Her dedication to science coupled with her earnest outlook on life makes for a character who is incredibly easy to root for. While the plot mechanics of the narrative achieve a very large scale (as in, an international/intergalactic scale), I loved her subtle character arc as she moves to understanding how her scientific pursuits intersect with the need for human connection and her own version of faith. Foster really nails a character who approaches life from a strongly empirical point of view, and is befuddled or impatient when she confronts people who do not think that way.
The supporting cast is sprawling, and for the most part really strong. David Morse gives Ellie's character a cozy background as her loving father who nurtures her interest in science and technology. Tom Skerritt manages to humanize the character of Ellie's boss, who takes advantage of her work to further his own career. Matthew McConaughey does good work as Palmer, a religious man who is wary of technology and the way that it pulls people away from their faith and connection to fellow human beings. His character grated on me much of the time, but he feels fully fleshed out.
The story itself was something I found very moving. It is at once an underdog story, a sci-fi adventure, an almost-thriller, and drama rolled into one. Yet these elements come together to form an incredibly compelling narrative that operates on both a large and intimate scale.
There was very little in this film that I didn't like. Some of the reactions of the anti-science characters border on parody (like one political figure who sincerely questions whether or not the aliens will share "our values"). But at the same time, you know, people have literally been put to death for suggesting that the Earth wasn't the center of the universe. I think that if alien life was proved to exist, there would be some extreme reactions. I would have loved to get a little more in depth with a religious character who was really sorting through how alien life impacts their faith, though I realize the film was already pretty full as is.
I also have to say that the part where
.
Again, I found this film really moving. I loved the scope of it, the character arc, and where it ended.
Contact, 1997
Ellie (Jodie Foster) is a scientist who is passionate about the search for evidence of extra-terrestrial life. When funding for her program is cut, she is able to get funds from an eccentric billionaire (John Hurt) and sets up an independent program. When Ellie manages to locate what seems to be communication from a distant solar system, it puts her in the center of a conflict between politics, science, faith, and her own dreams and aspirations.
I didn't quite know what to expect from this film, having always felt lukewarm when I looked at the cover. But dang if I didn't end up really loving it!
Jodie Foster (who, sidenote, looks SO GORGEOUS here!) is the beating heart of the film. Her dedication to science coupled with her earnest outlook on life makes for a character who is incredibly easy to root for. While the plot mechanics of the narrative achieve a very large scale (as in, an international/intergalactic scale), I loved her subtle character arc as she moves to understanding how her scientific pursuits intersect with the need for human connection and her own version of faith. Foster really nails a character who approaches life from a strongly empirical point of view, and is befuddled or impatient when she confronts people who do not think that way.
The supporting cast is sprawling, and for the most part really strong. David Morse gives Ellie's character a cozy background as her loving father who nurtures her interest in science and technology. Tom Skerritt manages to humanize the character of Ellie's boss, who takes advantage of her work to further his own career. Matthew McConaughey does good work as Palmer, a religious man who is wary of technology and the way that it pulls people away from their faith and connection to fellow human beings. His character grated on me much of the time, but he feels fully fleshed out.
The story itself was something I found very moving. It is at once an underdog story, a sci-fi adventure, an almost-thriller, and drama rolled into one. Yet these elements come together to form an incredibly compelling narrative that operates on both a large and intimate scale.
There was very little in this film that I didn't like. Some of the reactions of the anti-science characters border on parody (like one political figure who sincerely questions whether or not the aliens will share "our values"). But at the same time, you know, people have literally been put to death for suggesting that the Earth wasn't the center of the universe. I think that if alien life was proved to exist, there would be some extreme reactions. I would have loved to get a little more in depth with a religious character who was really sorting through how alien life impacts their faith, though I realize the film was already pretty full as is.
I also have to say that the part where
WARNING: spoilers below
Palmer deliberately uses Ellie's atheism to ruin her chance at being the one to travel to Vega was SO disgusting and cruel and controlling and horrible, that I couldn't believe she forgave him. Him admitting that he did it because he loved her came across so gross, and it felt like the film wanted it to feel romantic. Yuck. Just yuck.
Again, I found this film really moving. I loved the scope of it, the character arc, and where it ended.