Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) has had a special liking for radio communications since she was a child. When she grew up, she became an astronomer, and her project was to receive signals from outer space. She hoped to find the existence of other civilizations in the universe. The genius's ideal was looked down upon by investors, but fortunately a mysterious person helped Ellie continue her work. By chance, Ellie received a frequency signal from Vega, which seemed to prove that Ellie's work was correct. But this did not bring her personal career success, but conflicts and discussions from all angles of politics, society, religion, and country. Ellie, who was deeply trapped in the center of all this storm, had to face the emotional entanglement with the clergyman Palmer Joss (Matthew McConaughey). Individuals and the world, truth and reality, Ellie faced challenges far beyond the scope of academics.