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The Sugarland Express

The Sugarland Express

Crime · Drama · 1974

Married small-time crooks Lou-Jean and Clovis Poplin lose their baby to the state of Texas and resolve to do whatever it takes to get him back. Lou-Jean gets Clovis out of jail, and the two steal their son from his foster home, in addition to taking a highway patrolman hostage. As a massive dragnet starts to pursue them across Texas, the couple become unlikely folk heroes and even start to bond with the captive policeman.

Movie details

The Sugarland Express

“A girl with a great following. Every cop in the state was after her. Everybody else was behind her.”

1974 Crime · Drama 1h 50m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.6 / 10

Community rating

Married small-time crooks Lou-Jean and Clovis Poplin lose their baby to the state of Texas and resolve to do whatever it takes to get him back. Lou-Jean gets Clovis out of jail, and the two steal their son from his foster home, in addition to taking a highway patrolman hostage. As a massive dragnet starts to pursue them across Texas, the couple become unlikely folk heroes and even start to bond with the captive policeman.

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 Sugarland Express?

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

Steven Spielberg

Written by

Steven Spielberg · Hal Barwood · Matthew Robbins

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn

Lou Jean Poplin

William Atherton

William Atherton

Clovis Poplin

Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson

Captain Tanner

Michael Sacks

Michael Sacks

Slide

Gregory Walcott

Gregory Walcott

Mashburn

Steve Kanaly

Steve Kanaly

Jessup

Louise Latham

Louise Latham

Mrs. Looby

Court is in session

Put The Sugarland Express on trial.

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

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

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

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

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