# Allen review – what would happen if ET came back for Elliott as an adult? Turns out nothing great

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/allen-review-what-would-happen-if-et-came-back-for-elliott-as-an-adult-turns-out-nothing-great/
- Published: 2026-11-12T07:00:12+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T07:20:58+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/nov/12/allen-film-review-netflix-trailer
- Topics: Culture, Entertainment, Film, Paranormal, TV, Weird & Viral

## Key points

- Petey’s alien friend returns when Petey is grown up.
- The premise offers a fresh twist on a familiar childhood story.
- The review finds the film formulaic and its alien underdeveloped.

## Summary

Netflix’s family film Allen imagines that Elliott-like character Petey, now an adult, gets another visit from the alien friend he could never forget. The reversal of the usual childhood-friendship story gives the film an intriguing starting point, but the review says it does not develop that idea into a distinctive or satisfying film.

Petey first meets Allen as a child in 1990s Queensland, then longs to see him again as an adult, despite his brother and sister-in-law urging him to move on. The film is Ludo Studio’s first live-action feature; the studio is known for Bluey. The review praises its good-natured tone and colourful, retro look, but criticises its unsubtle dialogue, familiar plot devices, generic villain and an alien with little personality.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.