Usually, we start our Throwback Thursday pieces by saying that it’s our tribute to the great science fictions of the past, and we tend to ignore the turkeys in the genre. And while there is a lot of good scifi has to offer, there is also a lot of bad. So today, I thought we’d take a look at some of the more mediocre scifi movies that have graced our screens, and that is ‘Starman’ starring Jeff Bridges.

Now, the plot of ‘Starman’ may sound a lot like another Jeff Bridges movie that is legitimately awesome, so ring in when you realize why it’s familiar. An alien comes from outer space in order to learn a little bit about humanity before he leaves. He thinks about taking someone with him, and humans are constantly impeding his progress from returning home.

If you answered ‘K-PAX‘, then you and I are of the same mind. Because… yeah… this is a lot like K-PAX.

The only problem is ‘K-PAX’ is legitimately amazing. ‘Starman’, on the other hand, has a tendency to make me feel uncomfortable. From the alien taking the form of Jenny’s dead husband, to the bizarre relationship they strike up despite the fact she thinks she’s being kidnapped for a good half of an inordinately long movie, there isn’t a whole lot of common sense being displayed. Oh, and don’t forget that he has his incredible pyrotechnic powers from silver orbs he carries around with him, or the fact that Jenny gets pregnant with his space baby. It’s an emotional roller coaster from wtf to WTF.

Now, most people I know who have seen this movie like it quite a bit. It has a surprisingly high score on all of the ratings sites (IMDB has it at 7.0, and RottenTomatoes has it at 79%), but I still see it as a film that had a lot of potential and fell short. A sci-fi romance that involves chase scenes, blockades, and Stockholm Syndrome (or at the very least, inability to deal with grief when alien husbands arrive). ‘Starman’ should be a lot more of a romp than it is. Instead, it’s a long movie with an unsatisfying ending, and only a little bit of believable sci-fi.

Still, it’s a classic. So, if you’re interested in seeing the sort of things that 80s had to offer, check it out.