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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Shirley Valentine
Romance · Comedy · 1989
Wondering what has happened to herself, now feeling stagnant and in a rut, Shirley Valentine finds herself regularly talking to the wall while preparing her husband's chips and egg. When her best friend wins a trip-for-two to Greece Shirley begins to see the world, and herself, in a different light.
Movie details
Shirley Valentine
“No one thought she had the courage, the nerve, or the lingerie.”
1989 Romance · Comedy 1h 48m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.3 / 10
Community rating
Wondering what has happened to herself, now feeling stagnant and in a rut, Shirley Valentine finds herself regularly talking to the wall while preparing her husband's chips and egg. When her best friend wins a trip-for-two to Greece Shirley begins to see the world, and herself, in a different light.
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 Shirley Valentine?
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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I'm No Angel
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Bold performer Tira works as dancing beauty and lion tamer at a fair. Out of an urgent financial need, she agrees to a risky new number: she'll put her head into the lion's mouth! With this attraction, the circus makes it to New York and Tira can pursue her dearest occupation — flirting with rich men and accepting expensive presents.
Starting Over
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Splendor
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The Incredible Jessica James
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Boot Camp
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Cuban Fury
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Players
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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.
Picture This
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Single and without a man on the horizon, Pia runs a failing photography studio in London with her best friend Jay. As her sister Sonal prepares for marriage and her mother Laxmi urges her to partner up, a spiritual guru predicts Pia will meet the love of her life among her next five dates. With her family intervening, Pia embarks on a hilarious yet heartfelt quest for love.
F Valentine's Day
Romance · 2026
Gina hates her Valentine's Day birthday and travels to Greece to prevent her boyfriend's proposal. With help from vacationers Johnny and his sister Mickey, she schemes to delay it – while questioning her relationship.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Lewis Gilbert
Written by
Willy Russell
Pauline Collins
Shirley Valentine-Bradshaw
Tom Conti
Costas Demitriadis
Julia McKenzie
Gillian
Alison Steadman
Jane
Joanna Lumley
Marjorie Majors
Sylvia Syms
Headmistress
Bernard Hill
Joe Bradshaw
Court is in session
Put Shirley Valentine 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.