This story about a human E. T. - or at least an alien in human form - is a built-in success for a director who can pull the right emotional chords at the right time. John Carpenter isn't the sort to miss easy opportunities, and the result is a fairly old-fashioned mix of emotion, excitement and enjoyment. But we could do with a little more extra-terrestrial activity and a little less earthly romance, even if Starman's miracles seem limited to the number of 'magic marbles' he carries on his person. Jeff Bridges gives a clever performance as the alien who learns about human emotions through the young widow (appealing Karen Allen), whose dead husband he has fashioned himself to resemble. No big surprises about this film, but, despite one or two script lapses that provide unintentional smiles, it offers solid entertainment along reassuring lines.