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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The Jazz Singer
Drama · Music · Romance · 1980
A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned family objects to his career as a jazz singer.
Movie details
The Jazz Singer
“His story will make you cry. His music will make you sing. His triumph will make you cheer.”
1980 Drama · Music · Romance 1h 55m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.0 / 10
Community rating
A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned family objects to his career as a jazz singer.
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 Jazz Singer?
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.
Where it lives
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Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.
Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.
Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Richard Fleischer
Written by
Herbert Baker
Neil Diamond
Jess Robin / Yussel Rabinovitch
Laurence Olivier
Cantor Rabinovitch
Lucie Arnaz
Molly Bell
Catlin Adams
Rivka Rabinovitch
Franklyn Ajaye
Bubba
Paul Nicholas
Keith Lennox
Sully Boyar
Eddie Gibbs
Court is in session
Put The Jazz Singer 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.