Subject: Review: Contact (1997)

From: Phil Brady <[email-masked]>
Date: 15 Jul 1997 16:06:54 GMT

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.