Richard Dreyfuss and Teri Garr portray the average Midwestern family living in rural Indiana. The mystery and suspense of the film contrasts well with the ordinairy lives of this couple. Roy Neary (Dreyfuss) sees unusual lights in the sky as he drives home one night, his truck is engulfed by light, the radio goes beserk and the clock on his car is affected. He is bafflied and awestruck by this event. He sees a huge object overhead in the sky ... It has bright blinking lights on its underside. The size is monumental as it floats off. This event changes his life forever ... He begins to draw and paint a flat-topped mountain which becomes an obsession. He does not know what it means but the desire to understand becomes all consuming. People who witnessed this event are interviewed on TV. The local authorities try to maintain calm and order ...  The national government gets involved ... It becomes clear - we are not alone in the universe. Something is about to happen ...