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Rebel Without a Cause

Rebel Without a Cause

Drama · 1955

After moving to a new town, troublemaking teen Jim Stark is supposed to have a clean slate, although being the new kid in town brings its own problems. While searching for some stability, Stark forms a bond with a disturbed classmate, Plato, and falls for local girl Judy. However, Judy is the girlfriend of neighborhood tough, Buzz. When Buzz violently confronts Jim and challenges him to a drag race, the new kid's real troubles begin.

Movie details

Rebel Without a Cause

“The bad boy from a good family.”

1955 Drama 1h 51m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.5 / 10

Community rating

After moving to a new town, troublemaking teen Jim Stark is supposed to have a clean slate, although being the new kid in town brings its own problems. While searching for some stability, Stark forms a bond with a disturbed classmate, Plato, and falls for local girl Judy. However, Judy is the girlfriend of neighborhood tough, Buzz. When Buzz violently confronts Jim and challenges him to a drag race, the new kid's real troubles begin.

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 Rebel Without a Cause?

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

Nicholas Ray

Written by

Nicholas Ray · Stewart Stern

James Dean

James Dean

Jim Stark

Natalie Wood

Natalie Wood

Judy

Sal Mineo

Sal Mineo

John 'Plato' Crawford

Jim Backus

Jim Backus

Frank Stark

Ann Doran

Ann Doran

Carol Stark

Corey Allen

Corey Allen

Buzz Gunderson

William Hopper

William Hopper

Judy's Father

Court is in session

Put Rebel Without a Cause on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.