Close Encounters of the Third Kind

90%

Tomatometer

113 Reviews

85%

Audience Score

100,000+ Ratings

Science fiction adventure about a group of people who attempt to contact alien intelligence. Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) witnesses an unidentified flying object, and even has a "sunburn" from its bright lights to prove it. Roy refuses to accept an explanation for what he saw and is prepared to give up his life to pursue the truth about UFOs.

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is deeply humane sci-fi exploring male obsession, cosmic mysticism, and music.

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Critics Reviews

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Bruce McCabe

Boston Globe

This is a revolutionary film. It's revolutionary in the sense that it suggests, as few films have, the extraordinary sensory potential of the medium.

Apr 3, 2024

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

["Close Encounters"] attempts to conquer fear of the unknown with love. Maybe the movies will begin to lead us away from their early '70s nightmare visions to a new, more benign fantasy world. As a filmgoer sated with violence, I'm ready.

Rated: 3.5/4

Apr 3, 2024

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Andrew Sarris

Village Voice

Simply a thoughtless exercise in instant self-gratification. Actually, I felt sorry for this muddled movie with its childlike vulnerability.

Apr 3, 2024

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

David Dugas

United Press International

If it doesn't quite match "2001" for cerebral elegance, it nevertheless is far grander than Spielberg's previous movie, Jaws, and vastly more absorbing than Star Wars.

Apr 3, 2024

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

John Huddy

Miami Herald

The Steven Spielberg movie, instinctively or otherwise, is well timed. It is definitely a movie of the 1970s, for a people disgusted, bewildered -- and lost.

Apr 3, 2024

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Dorothy Smiljanich

Tampa Bay Times

Perhaps in this skeptical time, it is enough to know -- enough to wonder -- that a director and creator can still make a movie as awesome and visually satisfying as this one.

Rated: 5/5

Apr 3, 2024

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Audience Reviews

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Beth M This movie is still tremendous! Really wonderful on the big screen! Took our 22 yr old son to give him the big screen treat! He loved it! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/08/24 Full Review Audience Member Just got out of the 47th anniversary re release. My 4th favorite Steven Spielberg movie. Maybe John Williams most underrated movie score. Grew up with this movie and this was my third time seeing a re release of this movie on the big screen . The cast is great, the special effects are amazing, love the humor. 10/10 EPIC FANTASTIC movie. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/08/24 Full Review Audience Member Great movie. Still holds up all these years later. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/07/24 Full Review Audience Member Pointless movie. No drama and no real suspense. Just a really slow build up, to what would be now, a disappointing ending Rated 1/5 Stars • Rated 1 out of 5 stars 06/08/24 Full Review Sachin E Apart from the amazing cinematography and visual effects, there isn't much in the film. Storyline is mid, characters and dialogues are not well written and the several cringe moments make it less appealing. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 04/13/24 Full Review Trending Right Now 2 Fantastic movie with a great cast and doesn't age, I think Steven Spielberg knows something as The movie very much could be of today. It is a must for any sci-fi buff Or even just family viewing.For 1978 Special effects are absolutely fantastic and movies of today, don't come anywhere close. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/29/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

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Cast & Crew

Steven Spielberg Director Richard Dreyfuss Roy Neary François Truffaut Claude Lacombe Teri Garr Ronnie Neary Melinda Dillon Jillian Guiler Cary Guffey Barry Guiler

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Movie Clips

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Official Clip - Roy's Mashed Potatoes