The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
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Flashdance
Drama · Romance · 1983
Alex Owens, a young woman juggling between two odd jobs, aspires to become a successful ballet dancer. Nick, who is her boss and lover, supports and encourages her to fulfil her dream.
Movie details
Flashdance
“Something happens when she hears the music... it's her freedom. It's her fire. It's her life.”
1983 Drama · Romance 1h 35m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.5 / 10
Community rating
Alex Owens, a young woman juggling between two odd jobs, aspires to become a successful ballet dancer. Nick, who is her boss and lover, supports and encourages her to fulfil her dream.
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 Flashdance?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe 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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On the Edge
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Newness
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Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Adrian Lyne
Written by
Joe Eszterhas · Thomas Hedley Jr.
Jennifer Beals
Alex Owens
Michael Nouri
Nick Hurley
Sunny Johnson
Jeanie Szabo
Kyle T. Heffner
Richie
Cynthia Rhodes
Tina Tech
Lee Ving
Johnny C.
Ron Karabatsos
Jake Mawby
Court is in session
Put Flashdance on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.