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Shag

Shag

Comedy · Drama · Romance · 1989

Summer of 1963. Carson is getting married to her boyfriend so her friends Melaina, Pudge and Luanne take her to Myrtle Beach for one last irresponsible weekend.

Movie details

Shag

“On a summer weekend in 1963, four girlfriends made memories that would last a lifetime.”

1989 Comedy · Drama · Romance 1h 38m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

Summer of 1963. Carson is getting married to her boyfriend so her friends Melaina, Pudge and Luanne take her to Myrtle Beach for one last irresponsible weekend.

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 Shag?

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

Zelda Barron

Written by

Terry Sweeney · Lanier Laney · Robin Swicord

Phoebe Cates

Phoebe Cates

Carson McBride

Scott Coffey

Scott Coffey

Chip

Bridget Fonda

Bridget Fonda

Melaina Buller

Annabeth Gish

Annabeth Gish

Caroline "Pudge" Carmichael

Page Hannah

Page Hannah

Luanne Clatterbuck

Robert Rusler

Robert Rusler

Buzz Ravenel

Tyrone Power Jr.

Tyrone Power Jr.

Harley Ralston

Court is in session

Put Shag 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.