What a beautiful film...

Rating: 10/10 (22 May 2013)

From the mind of astronomer Carl Sagan, and flawlessly directed by Robert Zemeckis, "Contact" tells the story of a young astronomer/scientist named Ellie Arroway, played to perfection by Jodie Foster, who discovers a message from outer space that may finally be proof of intelligent life in the universe. The message is mathematical in nature, but basically details blueprints for a vehicle intended to bring its occupant to the star Vega, from where the message is originating. Director Zemeckis is in familiar waters here, blending fiction seamlessly with reality; such as actual footage from press conferences with former president Bill Clinton, as well as cameos by a host of news personalities, all playing themselves. What Zemeckis started in "Forrest Gump" is refined and improved in "Contact", an unfairly underrated and under-appreciated parable about science, religion and the great gulf that separates them.
In addition to Jodie Foster's superlative work, more outstanding performances from stars such as James Woods, Tom Skerritt and Matthew McConaughey round out a truly stellar cast, pun definitely intended. In the course of the story, the argument of "god" vs. science is brought up consistently, but Zemeckis wisely refrains from taking a side here, instead allowing the viewer to make their own decision on which "truth" is the real one. (On a personal note: I, myself, would be classified as a "non-believer" HOWEVER, I also subscribe to the practice of logic. In this case, the logical conclusion that the universe in and of itself MUST have had a "first cause", and as a result, something or someone HAD to have caused that first cause.) As the worldwide news of this incredible discovery spreads, and the device itself is constructed, we are consistently shown both sides of the debate, neither viewpoint canceling out the other. Perpetual questions are raised: Are we alone in the universe? If not, who or what are our neighbors? Where are we in terms of evolution in comparison to any other lifeforms that may or may not exist? These questions are explored, but the answers left ambiguously unanswered, leaving the viewer forced to come to their own conclusion, their own process of determining the truth.
Just one more thing...the final thirty minutes or so of "Contact" provide Foster's uncovering of what may or may not be the answers she, and we too, all are seeking. And then, there is a scene, which I'll not spoil for you, that shows Foster's attaining closure with a loved one who initiated her path in life. If you have a human heart beating within you, and you've ever mourned or yearned for someone you've lost, this scene will have you in tears, just as it's done to me again and again...
In the end, "Contact" urges us all to find our own answers to the burning questions we have in our minds. As a parable of society's perception of faith vs. fact, it is superlative. As a study of humanity and it's place in the universe, it simply is perfection. If you've not seen "Contact" before, you owe it to yourself to experience this at least once in your life.
What a beautiful film.