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Shortbus

Shortbus

Romance · Drama · Comedy · 2006

In post-9/11 New York City, an eclectic group of citizens find their lives entangled, personally, romantically, and sexually, at Shortbus, an underground Brooklyn salon infamous for its blend of art, music, politics, and carnality.

Movie details

Shortbus

“Open your mind. And everything else.”

2006 Romance · Drama · Comedy 1h 41m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

In post-9/11 New York City, an eclectic group of citizens find their lives entangled, personally, romantically, and sexually, at Shortbus, an underground Brooklyn salon infamous for its blend of art, music, politics, and carnality.

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 Shortbus?

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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Carnal Knowledge

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The Man from Elysian Fields

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Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

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Your Friends & Neighbors

Your Friends & Neighbors

Drama · 1998

Restless and unhappy, two couples get caught up in infidelity and deception. Barry is a sullen businessman married to Mary, a writer who is unsatisfied with their relationship. Mary begins an affair with Jerry, a smug theater professor and husband of her friend, Terri, who is also a writer. Adding to the adulterous mix are Cary, a callous doctor, and Cheri, an art-gallery assistant.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

John Cameron Mitchell

Written by

John Cameron Mitchell

Sook-Yin Lee

Sook-Yin Lee

Sofia

Paul Dawson

Paul Dawson

James

PJ DeBoy

PJ DeBoy

Jamie

Lindsay Beamish

Lindsay Beamish

Severin

Jay Brannan

Jay Brannan

Ceth

Raphael Barker

Raphael Barker

Rob

Adam Hardman

Adam Hardman

Jesse

Court is in session

Put Shortbus on trial.

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

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.

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.