An alien lands in Wisconsin, arriving at the cabin of Jenny Hayden, a young widow. The alien, Starman, convinces her to drive him to Arizona, explaining that if he is not picked up by his mothership he will die. En route, Starman finds universal love, while Jenny rediscovers her human passion.

With Starman, John Carpenter riskily expanded his cinema for a supernatural love story: that of a communion between a young woman and a extraterrestrial being. The film, of course, is a masterpiece of rare romanticism—a profound feeling towards humanity courses through all of its rich images.