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The Second Civil War

The Second Civil War

Drama · Comedy · TV Movie · 1997

When a planeload of Pakistani orphans are shipped to his state for permanent relocation, the governor of Idaho defies the president and closes the state's border. News Net Television, a cable news program that makes hay by reporting on political scandals, quickly spins the racist act into an overnight media sensation, creating a divide in national opinion over the issue.

Movie details

The Second Civil War

“A very uncivil comedy”

1997 Drama · Comedy · TV Movie 1h 37m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.1 / 10

Community rating

When a planeload of Pakistani orphans are shipped to his state for permanent relocation, the governor of Idaho defies the president and closes the state's border. News Net Television, a cable news program that makes hay by reporting on political scandals, quickly spins the racist act into an overnight media sensation, creating a divide in national opinion over the issue.

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 The Second Civil War?

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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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Joe Dante

Written by

Martyn Burke

Beau Bridges

Beau Bridges

Governor Jim Farley

Joanna Cassidy

Joanna Cassidy

Helena Newman

James Coburn

James Coburn

Jack Buchan

Kevin Dunn

Kevin Dunn

Jimmy Cannon

Phil Hartman

Phil Hartman

The President

Dan Hedaya

Dan Hedaya

Mel Burgess

James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones

Jim Kalla

Court is in session

Put The Second Civil War on trial.

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

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.