Contact (1997)

Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Warner Bros.

Rated PG

Based on Astronomer Carl Sagan's novel and views, Contact tells the story of Dr. Ellie Arroway who discovers a signal from outerspace. This discovery opens an international, political and scientific Pandora's box that Ellie is swept up in and ill-prepared to deal with. Her religious beliefs are the most challenged by this discovery but they are also explored by her sometimes lover, a religious leader and ex-priest.

Science and religious have always butted heads but this movie searches for and often finds their common ground by using Ellie and Palmer (the ex-priest) as the voice of science and religion respectively. In one conversation, Ellie quotes scientific principals for her lack of belief in a god. She needs proof. To which Palmer replies "Did you love your father?"

Ellie, "What?"

Palmer, "Your dad. Did you love him?"

Ellie, "Yes, very much."

Palmer, "Prove it."

As the plot unfolds, Ellie experiences something that defies her ability to explain or prove, making her realize Palmer's point of view concerning faith and proof. Faith is the only thing that separates religion from science. Religion's ability to accept things without proof allows it to leap beyond logic.

Contact draws many parallels between the scientific and religious community. As Palmer puts it "As a person of faith, I'm bound by a different covenant that Doctor Arroway. But our goal is one and the same: the pursuit of the Truth."