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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The Spitfire Grill
Comedy · Drama · 1996
Percy, upon being released from prison, goes to the small town of Gillead, to find a place where she can start over again. She is taken in by Hannah, to help out at her place, the Spitfire Grill. Percy brings change to the small town, stirring resentment and fear in some, and growth in others.
Movie details
The Spitfire Grill
“To a town with no future, comes a girl with a past.”
1996 Comedy · Drama 1h 57m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.5 / 10
Community rating
Percy, upon being released from prison, goes to the small town of Gillead, to find a place where she can start over again. She is taken in by Hannah, to help out at her place, the Spitfire Grill. Percy brings change to the small town, stirring resentment and fear in some, and growth in others.
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 Spitfire Grill?
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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Against the Wall
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Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Lee David Zlotoff
Written by
Lee David Zlotoff
Alison Elliott
Percy Talbott
Ellen Burstyn
Hannah Ferguson
Marcia Gay Harden
Shelby Goddard
Will Patton
Nahum Goddard
Kieran Mulroney
Joe Sperling
Gailard Sartain
Sheriff Gary Walsh
John M. Jackson
Johnny B. / Eli
Court is in session
Put The Spitfire Grill 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.