Movie Review: E.T.
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that Steven Spielberg's classic has
some scenes of mild peril that may be too intense for younger
children. For example, E.T. looks like he has died in one
scene. There is brief but strong language by today's standards
for a PG movie (like"bitch" and "s--t"). E.T. contains one of
the most memorable product placements ever, Reese's Pieces, as
well as a scene in which Elliott feels slightly drunk, because
E.T. has indulged in a beer. Families should also be aware of
the fact that the movie was criticized for having a complete
absence of non-white characters.
Families can talk about the way that the adults and the kids
see things differently, and have a hard time understanding each
other's perspective. One reason is that they don't try to share
their feelings with each other. Could Elliott have talked to
his mother about E.T.?
A young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas) discovers an extraterrestrial that had been left behind by his fellow aliens hiding near his house. After he brings E.T. home, it becomes clear that the benevolent otherworldly creature Elliott dubs E.T. can't survive in Earth's atmosphere and must return to his home planet. While hiding E.T., Elliott develops a close friendship and a connection that binds them to each other. With the help of Elliott, his siblings, and their pals, E.T. sends a rescue message to his planet, but Elliott all of a sudden finds himself facing government scientists who want to capture and study E.T. instead of allowing him to return home.
It's difficult to review a movie that was a cultural touchstone of one's childhood, because there are personal memories enmeshed with the movie itself. Although kids no longer dress as E.T. for Halloween or recite his famous line, "E.T. phone home," the kind extraterrestrial remains one of the most recognizable creatures in movie history, and that is due to director Steven Spielberg's genius. Not only is the movie a sci-fi adventure with unforgettable images (the flying bicycle scene alone is worth the cost of a rental), but it's also a family drama (divorced mother trying to raise three kids without her ex's help; children who are wary of trusting adults) and beautiful exploration of a unique friendship (the special connection E.T. and Elliott share is precious).
The performances, especially the kids -- Thomas, 6-year-old Drew Barrymore as Elliott's baby sister Gertie, and Robert Macnaughton as his older brother Michael -- are exceptional and genuine. Dee Wallace, who a year later also played a besieged mother in Cujo, perfectly captured the frustration and at-times insanity of single parenting, which in the early '80s was an unconventional family structure in movies. John Williams' score soars, and the special effects are still dazzling, even if younger audiences are used to much slicker by now. After more than 25 years, E.T. continues to tug at heartstrings and prove Spielberg is a master storyteller.
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