Trailer
Summary
A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality.
Good for
- Date night
- Family movie night
- Friends night
Where to watch
Fingerprint
At a glance
Critics vs audiences
Audiences like it more than critics (+15)
Critics 62Audiences 77GoodWatch 69
Metascore62
User score7.8
Letterboxd · 241 K ratings3.8/5
IMDb7.5
Box office
1.9×its budget
- Budget
- $90 M
- Worldwide
- $171 M
Worldwide it earned $81 M more than it cost.
Running time
2 h 30 min
Longer than 9 in 10 dramas, +41 min on the typical 109
typical 109150Half of all dramas run 98–125 min.
Reach
Streams in 17 countries, rent or buy in 63 more
+7Released
1997
July 11, 1997
29 years ago
Genres
DramaScience FictionMysteryLanguage
English
Original language
Also spoken
RussianSpanishMade in
United States
Academy Awards1998
- Sound1998Nominated
Rated
- PGUnited States
Yes: it's rated PG in the United States for disturbing imagery, and the viewing guide lists it for family nights.
What's in it
- ViolenceLittle or none
- Gore, disturbing imagesLittle or none
- Frightening scenesLittle or none
- Sex, nudityLittle or none
- Dark themesMild
In white: what the content advisories name. Levels from the title analysis.
Viewing guide
AdultsDate NightFamily Movie NightFriends NightIntergenerationalPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensComfort WatchThought-ProvokingNot listed for kids.
and 68 more126 people
- Jodie FosterEllie Arroway
- Matthew McConaugheyPalmer Joss
- James WoodsMichael Kitz
- John HurtS. R. Hadden
- Tom SkerrittDavid Drumlin
- William FichtnerKent
- David MorseTed Arroway
- Angela BassettRachel Constantine
Geoffrey BlakeFisher
Max MartiniWillie
Rob LoweRichard Rank
Jake BuseyJoseph
Tucker SmallwoodMission Director
Jena MaloneYoung Ellie- SCSami ChesterVernon
Timothy McNeilDavio- LELaura Elena SurilloCantina Woman
Henry StrozierMinister
Larry KingLarry King
Thomas Garner Ian Broderick- CCConroy ChinoKOB-TV Reporter
- DGDan GiffordJeremy Roth
Vance ValenciaSenator Valencia
Donna KelleyDonna Kelley
Directing · 8
- Robert Zemeckis Director, Producer
- Steve Starkey Second Unit Director, Producer
- Bruce Moriarty First Assistant Director
- Lucille OuYang Second Assistant Director
- Alison C. Rosa Second Second Assistant Director
- Cellin Gluck Second Assistant Director
Writing · 4
- James V. Hart Screenplay
- Michael Goldenberg Screenplay
- Carl Sagan Novel, Original Story, Co-Producer
- Ann Druyan Original Story, Co-Producer
Production · 23
- Lynda Obst Executive Producer
- Joan Bradshaw Unit Production Manager, Executive Producer
- Victoria Burrows Casting
- Scot Boland Casting Associate
- Ines Mongil-Echandi Production Office Coordinator
- Luz Eneida Nuñez Location Manager
Camera · 20
- Don Burgess Director of Photography
- François Duhamel Still Photographer
- Nick Phillips Camera Operator
- Tony Rivetti Sr. First Assistant Camera
- Steve Smith Key Grip
- Robert LaBonge Camera Operator
Editing · 9
- Arthur Schmidt Editor
- Carin-Anne Strohmaier First Assistant Editor
- Mo Henry Negative Cutter
- Jeremiah O'Driscoll First Assistant Editor
- Harry Keramidas Additional Editing
- John Nicolard Digital Color Timer
Sound · 37
- Alan Silvestri Original Music Composer
- Randy Thom Sound Designer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer
- Phil Benson Supervising Sound Editor
- Gary Rizzo Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer
- Bruce Lacey Foley Editor
- Scott Levy Sound Recordist
Art · 35
- Ed Verreaux Production Design
- Steve Burg Concept Artist
- Doug J. Meerdink Assistant Art Director
- Dean Wolcott Set Designer
- Kathleen Beall Location Scout
- James F. Claytor Sr. Set Designer
Costume & Make-Up · 26
- Joanna Johnston Costume Design
- Gary Archer Prosthetics
- Deborah La Mia Denaver Makeup Artist
- Hope Slepak Costumer
- Hallie D'Amore Key Makeup Artist
- Jean-Luc Russier Makeup Artist
Visual Effects · 42
- Ariel Velasco-Shaw Visual Effects Supervisor
- Stephen Rosenbaum Visual Effects Supervisor
- Kenneth Jones Visual Effects Supervisor
- Joe Matza Visual Effects Supervisor
- Lauren Alexandra Ritchie Visual Effects Supervisor
- Peter Jackson Additional Visual Effects
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