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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Harry and Tonto
Adventure · Comedy · Drama · 1974
Harry Coombes is a retired teacher in his 70s who has lived in the Upper West Side of New York City all his life. When his building is torn down to make way for a parking garage, Harry and his beloved cat Tonto begin a journey across the United States — visiting his children, seeing a world he never seemed to have the time to see before, making new friends, and saying goodbye to old friends.
Movie details
Harry and Tonto
“Get a lift.”
1974 Adventure · Comedy · Drama 1h 55m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
7.1 / 10
Community rating
Harry Coombes is a retired teacher in his 70s who has lived in the Upper West Side of New York City all his life. When his building is torn down to make way for a parking garage, Harry and his beloved cat Tonto begin a journey across the United States — visiting his children, seeing a world he never seemed to have the time to see before, making new friends, and saying goodbye to old friends.
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 Harry and Tonto?
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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Bookworm
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Paul Mazursky
Written by
Paul Mazursky · Josh Greenfeld
Art Carney
Harry
Ellen Burstyn
Shirley
Geraldine Fitzgerald
Jessie
Chief Dan George
Sam Two Feathers
Larry Hagman
Eddie
Philip Bruns
Burt
Herbert Berghof
Rivetowski
Court is in session
Put Harry and Tonto 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.