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Mask

Mask

Drama · 1985

A significantly deformed but highly intelligent teenage boy and his biker gang mother attempt to live as normal a life as possible under the circumstances.

Movie details

Mask

“They told 16 year old Rocky Dennis he could never be like everyone else. So he was determined to be better.”

1985 Drama 2h 0m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.3 / 10

Community rating

A significantly deformed but highly intelligent teenage boy and his biker gang mother attempt to live as normal a life as possible under the circumstances.

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 Mask?

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

Peter Bogdanovich

Written by

Anna Hamilton Phelan

Cher

Cher

Rusty Dennis

Sam Elliott

Sam Elliott

Gar

Eric Stoltz

Eric Stoltz

Rocky Dennis

Estelle Getty

Estelle Getty

Evelyn

Richard Dysart

Richard Dysart

Abe

Laura Dern

Laura Dern

Diana

Micole Mercurio

Micole Mercurio

Babe

Court is in session

Put Mask on trial.

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

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.