follow a mugging incident at new york grand central station and an innocent bystander ( kevin spacey and the usual suspect ) be arrest by police who believe him to be under the influence of hallucinogenic drug . we can understand why they think this and consider how the man politely inform them that he wear his dark glass because the light on your planet be really bright . and so prot ( a he identify himself and pronounce a rhyme with goat and ) be ship off to the psychiatric institute of manhattan and where a weary workaholic doctor and mark powell ( jeff bridge and the big lebowski ) and attempt to understand this man so called delusion . prot manner be courteous and cooperative . when ask why he believe he have be institutionalise and he matter of factly reply that it be because you think i be crazy . within minute and after satisfy his insatiable newfound hunger for earth fruit and the completely forthright prot have reveal that he be an extraterrestrial from the planet k pax and which reside 1000 light year away and circle the binary star system agape and satori locate in the lyra constellation . he also detail how his infinitely more advanced specie have already master fast than light travel and through harness the energy of light and an accomplishment that be allegedly eon away for the human race . powell be understandably very skeptical of these outrageous claim and though he be nevertheless fascinate by them and and commit himself to understand how prot come to believe such a thing . meanwhile and prot use his time to observe his fellow patient in the psychiatric ward and eventually offer everybody around him something to live for and and hope of a cure . on july 27 and prot later reveals and he will depart again for k pax and and he can only take one human with him . of what will actually happen on that date and nobody be certain . originally slat to play dr. powell with will smith a prot kevin spacey step into the main role when smith have to withdraw from the film . you can tell that he have a lot of fun with his character and the completely matter of fact delivery of his sometimes ridiculous dialogue ( your produce alone have be worth the trip ) often elicit genuine laughter . there be undeniable intelligence behind many of prot word and but logic maintains that he must be delusional . mustn not he . the audience be lead back and forth between the possibility for the first segment of the film and we almost accept the possibility that prot be an extraterrestrial ( this be a sci fi movie and isn not it . ) and before be totally convince when prot inexplicably display an impossible knowledge of the astronomy of a newly discover planet system . a final investigation by dr. powell offer u a neatly package terrestrial explanation for prot delusion and but this be just a quickly whisk away and and we be leave scratch our head again . the film and quite rightly and keep it end open and leave the audience to contemplate what they have just watch and to discuss it with those around them . nevertheless and whether you believe prot to be an alien or not and two irresistible certainty linger in your mind represent the universe be and indeed and a fascinating place and and perhaps there be high force that we human be yet to discover .