An alien takes the form of a young Wisconsin widow's husband and makes her drive him to his departure point in Arizona. Distrustful government agents, along with a more ambivalent scientist, give pursuit in hopes of intercepting them.
Answering a NASA message intended for aliens, a space being tries to contact mankind, but an American missile grounds his ship. Scrambling, the so-called Starman (Jeff Bridges) inhabits the body of a late Wisconsinite and kidnaps the dead man's widow, Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen). Determined to reunite with a vessel from his home planet at a predetermined site, Starman and Jenny travel to Arizona. Pursued by military officials trying to kill him, Starman forges a lasting bond with Jenny.
"The ever-versatile Bridges is at his hang loose best as the gentle alien. He brings a wonderous child-like sense to the role. Allen also deserves plaudits for her appropriately vulnerable portrayal." - The Hollywood Reporter
"Starman is the perfect romance vehicle for Carpenter to tackle. It works like gangbusters." - Cinapse
"Mr. Carpenter, making his own definitive leap out of the horror genre, gives the story a swift pace, a crisp look and the kind of logic and coherence that, in any kind of material, are welcome." - The New York Times