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Third Person

Third Person

Drama · Romance · 2014

An acclaimed novelist struggles to write an analysis of love in one of three stories, each set in a different city, that detail the beginning, middle and end of a relationship.

Movie details

Third Person

“Life can change at the turn of a page.”

2014 Drama · Romance 2h 17m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

5.9 / 10

Community rating

An acclaimed novelist struggles to write an analysis of love in one of three stories, each set in a different city, that detail the beginning, middle and end of a relationship.

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 Third Person?

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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Dangerous Liaisons

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The Edge of Love

The Edge of Love

Drama · 2008

When the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and his flirtatious wife Caitlin sweep into war-torn London, the last thing they expect is to bump into Dylan's childhood sweetheart Vera. Despite her joy at seeing Dylan after so many years, Vera is swept off her feet by a dashing officer, William Killick, and finds herself torn between the open adoration of her new found beau and the wily charms of the exotic Welshman.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Paul Haggis

Written by

Paul Haggis

Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson

Michael

Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis

Julia

Adrien Brody

Adrien Brody

Sean

James Franco

James Franco

Rick

Olivia Wilde

Olivia Wilde

Anna

Maria Bello

Maria Bello

Theresa

Kim Basinger

Kim Basinger

Elaine

Court is in session

Put Third Person 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.