---
title: "Starman: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/starman/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/starman"
critics_score: 64
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Starman (1984): what the critics said

Critics' score 64 from 8 reviews: 5 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics respond warmly to Starman as a science-fiction romance, with praise centred on Jeff Bridges’s performance as an alien learning about human life. His gentle, childlike manner gives the film much of its appeal, and the favourable reviews find humour and feeling in the romantic story. Carpenter’s restrained handling of emotion also earns appreciation, although Bridges is the clearest point of agreement among the positive notices.

The reservations concern the writing: even some admirers find the plotting predictable or one-dimensional. The spread is fairly wide, with Variety judging the film only partly successful and finding that its use of effective borrowed models leaves it short of originality. Time Out is the strongest dissenter, dismissing the science-fiction love story as weak; the divide is chiefly over how much the performances and emotional appeal compensate for a familiar story.

## Radio Times — Alan Jones

Rating 4/5. 

Jones describes the film as an engaging, funny, suspenseful and moving sci-fi romance. He particularly praises Jeff Bridges’s chance to stretch his acting talent as an alien learning about human life.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-qfb2cy/starman/)

## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert

Rating 3/4. 14 December 1984. 

Ebert’s review is positive, finding the film an appealing romantic science-fiction story. He particularly praises Jeff Bridges’s performance as the alien visitor.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/starman-1984)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Duane Byrge

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 December 2016. 

The critic gives the film a positive verdict, calling it appealing and humane despite some one-dimensional plotting. He particularly praises Jeff Bridges’s gentle, childlike performance as the alien.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/starman-review-1984-movie-953938/)

## The New York Times — Janet Maslin

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 14 December 1984. 

The headline suggests a favorable view of the film, describing its alien character as ingratiating. It singles out Jeff Bridges’s performance, though the article text was inaccessible.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/14/movies/film-jeff-bridges-plays-ingratiating-starman.html)

## The New Yorker — Pauline Kael

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 28 January 1985. 

The issue identifies this as part of a review of three films, but the critic’s verdict is not available here. The page provides no specific praise or complaint about “Starman.”

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1985/01/28)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 1984. 

The review finds the film only partly successful, despite its effective borrowed models. It praises those models but faults the film for lacking originality.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1983/film/reviews/starman-1200425969/)

## Time Out — RR

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review describes the film as a rather lame sci-fi love story. It notes Carpenter’s departure from action and horror, but the page provides no further details about what works or fails.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/starman)

## Den of Geek — Carley Tauchert

Rating 4 out of 5. 24 September 2009. 

The review calls the film a solid sci-fi fantasy and romantic drama despite its predictable plot. It praises Jeff Bridges’s captivating, childlike performance and Carpenter’s subtle handling of emotion.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/starman-blu-ray-review/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/starman.md