You would think that a film about a visit to earth by alien life forms — complete with large spaceships — would be loud and special effects heavy.  But the story is told in a (no pun intended) down-to-earth, well-paced and relatively quiet way as we follow a linguist (Amy Adams, always a delight to watch) who is conscripted by the US government to decipher what the aliens want from humankind.  Forest Whitaker and Jeremy Renner are along for this enjoyable ride. 

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