Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial follows a lonely young boy who befriends a stranded alien and tries to help him return home while avoiding government authorities. Combining emotional family storytelling, coming-of-age drama and science-fiction adventure, the film became one of Spielbergs most beloved classics of the 1980s. The story explores friendship, childhood wonder and loneliness through the relationship between Elliott and E.T. Från IMDB: A troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape from Earth and return to his home planet.