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Urban Cowboy

Urban Cowboy

Drama · Romance · Western · 1980

After moving to Pasadena, Texas, country boy Bud Davis starts hanging around a bar called Gilley's, where he falls in love with Sissy, a cowgirl who believes the sexes are equal. They eventually marry, but their relationship is turbulent due to Bud's traditional view of gender roles. Jealousy over his rival leads to their separation, but Bud attempts to win Sissy back by triumphing at Gilley's mechanical bull-riding competition.

Movie details

Urban Cowboy

“Hard Hat Days And Honky-Tonk Nights.”

1980 Drama · Romance · Western 2h 12m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

After moving to Pasadena, Texas, country boy Bud Davis starts hanging around a bar called Gilley's, where he falls in love with Sissy, a cowgirl who believes the sexes are equal. They eventually marry, but their relationship is turbulent due to Bud's traditional view of gender roles. Jealousy over his rival leads to their separation, but Bud attempts to win Sissy back by triumphing at Gilley's mechanical bull-riding competition.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Urban Cowboy?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

James Bridges

Written by

James Bridges · Aaron Latham

John Travolta

John Travolta

Bud Davis

Debra Winger

Debra Winger

Sissy

Scott Glenn

Scott Glenn

Wes

Madolyn Smith Osborne

Madolyn Smith Osborne

Pam

Barry Corbin

Barry Corbin

Uncle Bob

Brooke Alderson

Brooke Alderson

Aunt Corene

Cooper Huckabee

Cooper Huckabee

Marshall

Court is in session

Put Urban Cowboy on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.