Editing Starman (film) (section)

=== Critical response ===
The review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reports an approval rating of 84% based on 102 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "''Starman'' initially begins as an offbeat sci-fi adventure, but transforms into a surprisingly sweet drama, courtesy of John Carpenter's careful direction."<ref>{{cite web |title=''Starman'' Movie Reviews, Pictures |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/starman/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100912125413/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/starman/ |archive-date=September 12, 2010 |access-date=May 13, 2025 |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> The aggregator [[Metacritic]] gives the film a score of 71 out of 100, based on seven critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |title=''Starman'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/starman |access-date=May 26, 2015 |publisher=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref> Contemporary opinion was generally positive, and tended to focus on the visual effects and Jeff Bridges' acting. Conversations around the film often questioned whether ''Starman'' would launch Bridges into an acting [[superstar]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Caulfield |first=Deborah |date=1985-01-04 |title=JEFF BRIDGES: 'STARMAN' TO STAR? |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-01-04-ca-6692-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206021413/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-01-04-ca-6692-story.html |archive-date=6 February 2025 |access-date=6 February 2025 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Retrospective reviews have generally remained positive.

==== Contemporary opinion ====
[[Roger Ebert]] gave the film three stars out of four and wrote "''Starman'' contains the potential to be a very silly movie, but the two actors have so much sympathy for their characters that the movie, advertised as space fiction, turns into one of 1984's more touching love stories."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ebert|first1=Roger|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/starman-1984 |title=''Starman'' Movie Review |publisher=[[Chicago Sun Times]] |date=1984 |access-date=May 26, 2015 |archive-date=May 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511050642/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/starman-1984 |url-status=live }}</ref> In a highly positive review for ''The New York Times'', [[Janet Maslin]] praised the film along with its actors and director, stating: "If ''Starman'' doesn't make a major difference in Jeff Bridges's career, Mr. Bridges is operating in the wrong galaxy." She referred to it as "a science fiction film with sex appeal" and commended the film's romance and humour.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/14/movies/film-jeff-bridges-plays-ingratiating-starman.html |title=Movie Review - ''Starman'' |work=[[New York Times]] |date=December 14, 1984 |access-date=May 26, 2015 |archive-date=May 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524153539/http://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/14/movies/film-jeff-bridges-plays-ingratiating-starman.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Retrospective opinion ====
Duane Byrge wrote for ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' that ''Starman'' had "an amusing and appealing storyline" and a "winning performance" by Jeff Bridges, describing it as "an often on-target look at current American culture". However, he found the script lacking in its plot development and characterisation of military officials, but praised its "humane message" and Carpenter for "fluid storytelling", commending the score and visual effects.<ref name="hollywood reporter" /> Mark Harrison wrote for [[Den of Geek]] that it was "a classic sci-fi date movie" and "not only an outlier in [Carpenter's] body of work but also an inarguable product of his direction". He praised it for a "canny reversal of gender roles" where Bridges' Star Man is shown the world by a cynical Karen Allen. He praised the film's lead performances, believing that Karen Allen's portrayal "might be her best ever performance".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/john-carpenter-s-starman-is-a-classic-sci-fi-date-movie/ | title=John Carpenter's Starman Is a Classic Sci-Fi Date Movie | work=Den of Geek | first=Mark | last=Harrison | date=12 February 2019 | accessdate=6 March 2021 | archive-date=24 January 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124214201/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/john-carpenter-s-starman-is-a-classic-sci-fi-date-movie/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

Alan Jones awarded it four stars out of five for ''[[Radio Times]]'', referring to the film as a "religious sci-fi parable", praising Bridges' acting and the special effects. He described it as "funny, suspenseful and moving" and concluded that it was one of Carpenter's greatest films.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/cwdd9/starman/ | title=Starman | work=Radio Times | first=Alan | last=Jones | accessdate=6 March 2021 | archive-date=7 September 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907004336/http://www.radiotimes.com/film/cwdd9/starman/ | url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Halliwell's Film Guide]]'' was less positive, describing it as a "derivative but eccentric science-fiction fantasy with lapses of narrative and a general attempt to make the love story predominant over the hardware".<ref name="Halli">{{cite book |last1= Halliwell |first1=Leslie |title= Halliwell's Film and Video Guide |date=1997 |publisher= HarperCollins |isbn= 978-0-00-638868-5|page=729|edition=13|language=English |type=paperback }}</ref> The review by ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' called it "a rather lame sci-fi love story", lacking the energy of many of Carpenter's films. The review criticised the film's predictability and Bridges' acting, believing the humour to "wear thin pretty quick".<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.timeout.com/movies/starman | title= Starman | work= Time Out | date= 19 August 2012 | accessdate= 6 March 2021 | archive-date= 26 September 2020 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200926095113/https://www.timeout.com/movies/starman | url-status= live }}</ref> [[Colin Greenland]] reviewed ''Starman'' for ''[[Imagine (game magazine)|Imagine]]'' magazine, and stated that it, "starts well, with engaging performances from Karen Allen [...] and Jeff Bridges", but complains that the second half devolves into an "irritatingly soft-headed love story".<ref name="Imagine27">{{cite journal | last = Greenland|first = Colin |author-link=Colin Greenland| title =Fantasy Media  | type = review | journal = [[Imagine (AD&D magazine)|Imagine]] | issue = 27| pages =47 | publisher = TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd. |date=June 1985| issn = }}</ref>