Good, But Still Not As Good As It Should Have Been

Rating: Null/10 (4 March 2001)

"Contact" is overall a success, but the film just does not become anything remarkable after the film's final act. Jodie Foster stars as an astronomer who believes in the possibility of aliens from other planets, but has trouble with spirituality on a religious scale. When the possibility of "others" turns into a possible reality, Foster feels that she must be the first to go and meet them. However, her lack of other beliefs keeps her from her dream. Then a crazy twist of fate puts Foster into the driver's seat and she gets to learn about life and herself. "Contact" is smart, well-made, and all the performers are great, but the screenplay is the film's ultimate downfall. It under-achieves and turns an interesting notion into a somewhat trivial conclusion by the end. Matthew McConaughey, Tom Skeritt, James Woods, and John Hurt are best among the other players. A good film overall, but could have been even better. 4 stars out of 5.