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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Love Stinks
Comedy · Romance · 1999
A movie about a relationship...that's worse than yours. Seth (Stewart), a sitcom writer-producer, meets Chelsea (Wilson), an interior decorator, at his best friend's (Bellamy) wedding. He's immediately sexually attracted to her while she's instantly attracted to his single-ness. They both ditch their wedding dates and start their own date that same night. The two become a couple, appearing very happy until after a couple of years of postponing a marriage proposal. When Chelsea realizes that Seth wants to remain single and together, she becomes quite bitter. In the next hour of the movie, the two engage in behavior that makes the War of the Roses look like child's play.
Movie details
Love Stinks
1999 Comedy · Romance 1h 34m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.5 / 10
Community rating
A movie about a relationship...that's worse than yours. Seth (Stewart), a sitcom writer-producer, meets Chelsea (Wilson), an interior decorator, at his best friend's (Bellamy) wedding. He's immediately sexually attracted to her while she's instantly attracted to his single-ness. They both ditch their wedding dates and start their own date that same night. The two become a couple, appearing very happy until after a couple of years of postponing a marriage proposal. When Chelsea realizes that Seth wants to remain single and together, she becomes quite bitter. In the next hour of the movie, the two engage in behavior that makes the War of the Roses look like child's play.
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 Love Stinks?
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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In 1962 New York City, love blossoms between a playboy journalist and a feminist advice author.
Bye Bye Love
Comedy · 1995
With varying degrees of success, recently divorced friends Dave, Vic and Donny are trying to move on with their lives. Vic feels vilified by his ex-wife's parents, while Donny has a shaky bond with his teen daughter, Emma. Dave, meanwhile, has an enviable problem -- he has more dates than he can handle. As they confront their post-marital challenges, the men take solace in one another's plights.
Players
Romance · 2024
New York sportswriter Mack has spent years devising successful hook-up "plays" with her friends, but when she unexpectedly falls for one of her targets, she must learn what it takes to go from simply scoring to playing for keeps.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Jeff Franklin
Written by
Jeff Franklin
French Stewart
Seth Winnick
Bridgette Wilson
Chelsea Turner
Tyra Banks
Holly Garnett
Jason Bateman
Jesse Travis
Tiffani-Amber Thiessen
Rebecca Melini / Juliette
Steve Hytner
Marty Mark
Bill Bellamy
Larry Garnett
Court is in session
Put Love Stinks 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.