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Palmetto

Palmetto

Crime · Mystery · Thriller · 1998

After being released from prison on a bum charge, Harry Barber is out for payback to regain his lost two years. He's hired by Mrs. Malroux to fake the kidnapping of her stepdaughter (the daughter of a dying millionaire). He discovers that he is being set up on multiple levels and will soon face a longer sentence if he doesn't prove the truth.

Movie details

Palmetto

“In a town this bad, it's no use being good.”

1998 Crime · Mystery · Thriller 1h 54m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.0 / 10

Community rating

After being released from prison on a bum charge, Harry Barber is out for payback to regain his lost two years. He's hired by Mrs. Malroux to fake the kidnapping of her stepdaughter (the daughter of a dying millionaire). He discovers that he is being set up on multiple levels and will soon face a longer sentence if he doesn't prove the truth.

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 Palmetto?

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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Zero Effect

Zero Effect

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Fletch

Fletch

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Family Plot

Family Plot

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Appointment with Death

Appointment with Death

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Man on a Ledge

Man on a Ledge

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An ex-cop turned con threatens to jump to his death from a Manhattan hotel rooftop. The NYPD dispatch a female police psychologist to talk him down. However, unbeknownst to the police on the scene, the suicide attempt is a cover for the biggest diamond heist ever pulled.

Nick of Time

Nick of Time

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An ordinary man is suddenly forced into a plot to kill a politician in exchange for his kidnapped daughter's freedom.

Marlowe

Marlowe

Crime · 1969

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Volker Schlöndorff

Written by

E. Max Frye

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson

Harry Barber

Gina Gershon

Gina Gershon

Nina

Elisabeth Shue

Elisabeth Shue

Rhea Malroux

Rolf Hoppe

Rolf Hoppe

Felix Malroux

Michael Rapaport

Michael Rapaport

Donnelly

Chloë Sevigny

Chloë Sevigny

Odette

Tom Wright

Tom Wright

John Renick

Court is in session

Put Palmetto on trial.

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

The defence The Cool Ironist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Sentimental Softie

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.