Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
An ordinary man follows an undeniable, whimsical pull toward a spectacular, suspenseful encounter in the wilderness.
After an encounter with UFOs, an electricity linesman feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.
How intense is Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is mildly scary, with no gore and no real violence. Emotionally it is heavy. The pace is measured, and it is a full-attention watch and a late-night trip. Rated PG.
What Close Encounters of the Third Kind feels like
- Tone
- suspensefulwhimsicalearnestatmosphericuplifting
- Pace
- Measured
- Best for
- Full attentionLate night
Where to stream Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Not on a US subscription service at our last check. Rent or buy may still be an option.
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 13, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is Close Encounters of the Third Kind for you?
Is Close Encounters of the Third Kind scary?
Only a little. Close Encounters of the Third Kind has a few tense moments (scare level 1 of 3), nothing that follows you to bed.
Is Close Encounters of the Third Kind gory or violent?
No gore (0 of 3) and no real violence (0 of 3). Squeamish viewers are fine here.
Is Close Encounters of the Third Kind sad or heavy?
It is emotionally heavy (2 of 3). Expect it to land.
Is Close Encounters of the Third Kind OK for kids?
It is rated PG and nothing here runs hot: scare 1, gore 0, violence 0, each out of 3. A safe family pick by the numbers.
How long is Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
Close Encounters of the Third Kind runs 2h 17m.
Where can I stream Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is not on a US subscription service right now (rent or buy may still be an option).
Does Close Encounters of the Third Kind have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
It leaves the ending open to interpretation.
Cast and crew
More like Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Matched on genre, tone, intensity and pace, not just keywords.
Interstellar (2014)No gore · emotionally devastating · measuredExplorers traverse a wormhole, confronting vast distances and the melancholy of a dying Earth.
Ex Machina (2015)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA young programmer uncovers unsettling truths while testing the sentience of a reclusive CEO's AI creation.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyA bleak, slow-burn mystery unfolds as a blade runner unearths a secret that could shatter society.
The Martian (2015)No gore · emotionally heavy · measuredAn abandoned astronaut uses scientific ingenuity and dry wit to survive alone on a hostile Mars.
I Origins (2014)No gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA molecular biologist's intimate study of the human eye challenges both scientific and spiritual beliefs.
12 Angry Men (1957)No gore · emotionally heavy · measuredTwelve jurors wrestle with their consciences, debating a young man's fate in a tense, gritty chamber drama.
Arrival (2016)No gore · emotionally devastating · measuredAn expert linguist races to understand an alien language, navigating a suspenseful, melancholy, and cerebral mystery.
Gattaca (1997)No gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA man with imperfect genes earnestly schemes to reach the stars in a bleak, cerebral future.
Find Close Encounters of the Third Kind in
Want five more like Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
Tell CouchRot the mood. It picks from what you can actually stream and learns from every rating.
Get CouchRot, it's freeThis product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Intensity, tone and pace tags are CouchRot's own.