To say that E.T. The Extra Terrestrial evokes emotion would be an enormous understatement. That's what Steven Spielberg does best, and that is one of the reasons why he is who he is. If you don't tear up during this movie, then in my opinion there is something seriously wrong with you, and you should have yourself checked.
The writing in this movie is very simplistic, while at the same time being a genuine coming-of-age story. One of the things that I love so much about the film is that Elliott's household, due to a divorce, is very much a broken home....until E.T. shows up. The alien that is light years from home is what brings the family together. The script feels like a rough outline that you would write with your friends over the weekend. E.T. is a movie where the story is told through the emotions of the images on the screen.
The movie is told from a child's perspective, and that really shows in the masterful direction by Steven Spielberg. For the first hour of the movie, the movie is filmed using low angles. We never see an adult from the waist up, except if it's Elliot's mother. Adults are viewed as threatening, so we only see their feet. It is only after we learn that the scientists are friendly that we see their faces.
All of the actors, particularly the child actors, do a fantastic job of capturing the characters. For me, though, Drew Barrymore steals the show. It's such a genuine performance. It feels like Steven Spielberg just turned the camera on and let her go. The child actors all do a wonderful job of playing characters who have been affected by divorce. They all get mad at each other for no apparent reason, and yet when something bad happens to one of them, they're all there for each other. Personally, I love this aspect of the film because I am a child of divorce myself and I very much identified with that.
E.T. is a classic, and there's no denying that. It's a movie for all ages, children and adults. It's a beloved film, one that brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it.
