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Some Kind of Wonderful

Some Kind of Wonderful

Romance · Comedy · 1987

Keith Nelson, an artsy high school outcast, tries to land a date with popular girl Amanda Jones with some help from his tomboy best friend, Watts. However, Watts realizes she likes Keith as more than just a friend and tries to convince him to stop pursuing Amanda. Matters are further complicated when Keith's invitation draws the ire of Amanda's rich yet snobby ex-boyfriend, Hardy Jenns, who makes plans to get even.

Movie details

Some Kind of Wonderful

“Before they could stand together, they had to stand alone.”

1987 Romance · Comedy 1h 35m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

Keith Nelson, an artsy high school outcast, tries to land a date with popular girl Amanda Jones with some help from his tomboy best friend, Watts. However, Watts realizes she likes Keith as more than just a friend and tries to convince him to stop pursuing Amanda. Matters are further complicated when Keith's invitation draws the ire of Amanda's rich yet snobby ex-boyfriend, Hardy Jenns, who makes plans to get even.

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 Some Kind of Wonderful?

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

Howard Deutch

Written by

John Hughes

Eric Stoltz

Eric Stoltz

Keith Nelson

Mary Stuart Masterson

Mary Stuart Masterson

Watts

Lea Thompson

Lea Thompson

Amanda Jones

Chynna Phillips

Chynna Phillips

Mia

Craig Sheffer

Craig Sheffer

Hardy Jenns

John Ashton

John Ashton

Cliff Nelson

Elias Koteas

Elias Koteas

Skinhead

Court is in session

Put Some Kind of Wonderful 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.