This is not a movie about little green men. It is insted about us, the human race. Foster plays Dr. Eleanor Arroway, an astronomer in charge of a SETI project (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intellegence). After her life long search for an answer and meaning to it all she gets a signal from Vega, a nearby star. After decoding the message from Vega, the blueprints for a transport device are discovered. The project is funded by S.R. Hadden, John Hurt, a very eccentric and rich man. McConaughey is Palmer Joss, a hip man of God and love intrest of Dr. Arroway. Joss is somewhat disturbed by the prospect of intellegent life elsewhere, as is a majority of the world. Tom Skerritt does well as an opportunistic and underhanded scientist who weasels his way into the limelight. Foster was excellent, the rest of the cast does well. As stated before this is a movie about humans and the great debate between science and religion. The journey into space and subsequent contact is almost a side note, not to mention a little disappointing. The opening sequence is visually stunning. In fact the movie as a whole is very pleasing to the eye, Foster included. There are some unexpected twists, there is actually some substance to this movie. There is also a great bit of irony about faith and fact at the end. This a well done movie without gun fights and cartoonish violence. All it has is a good story which is more than enough.
