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A Christmas Gift from Bob

A Christmas Gift from Bob

Family · Drama · 2020

James Bowen finds himself the target of an animal welfare investigation that threatens to take away his beloved cat, Bob, at Christmas.

Movie details

A Christmas Gift from Bob

“A true tail of Christmas spirit.”

2020 Family · Drama 1h 33m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

James Bowen finds himself the target of an animal welfare investigation that threatens to take away his beloved cat, Bob, at Christmas.

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 A Christmas Gift from Bob?

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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Miracle on 34th Street

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A Street Cat Named Bob

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Charles Martin Smith

Written by

Garry Jenkins

Luke Treadaway

Luke Treadaway

James Bowen

Kristina Tonteri-Young

Kristina Tonteri-Young

Bea

Phaldut Sharma

Phaldut Sharma

Moody

Nina Wadia

Nina Wadia

Anika

Celyn Jones

Celyn Jones

Mick

Stefan Race

Stefan Race

Ben

P

Pepter Lunkuse

Ruth

Court is in session

Put A Christmas Gift from Bob on trial.

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

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.

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.