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The Heavenly Kid

The Heavenly Kid

Fantasy · Comedy · Romance · 1985

After dying in a car crash, Bobby Fantana is forced to pay for his misdeeds by becoming someone's guardian angel. He reluctantly agrees to watch over awkward high schooler Lenny Barnes, teaching him how to be cool and confident. As Bobby teaches Lenny, the two form a close bond.

Movie details

The Heavenly Kid

“Thou shalt be cool!”

1985 Fantasy · Comedy · Romance 1h 30m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.6 / 10

Community rating

After dying in a car crash, Bobby Fantana is forced to pay for his misdeeds by becoming someone's guardian angel. He reluctantly agrees to watch over awkward high schooler Lenny Barnes, teaching him how to be cool and confident. As Bobby teaches Lenny, the two form a close bond.

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 Heavenly Kid?

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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Kiss Me Goodbye

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Comedy · 1982

Not until three years after the death of her husband Jolly, Kay dares to move back into their former home, persuaded by her new fiancée Rupert. But soon her worst expectations come true, when not only her old memories haunt her, but also Jolly's ghost, who doesn't approve of her new mate. Invisible to anyone but Kay, he tries to prevent the wedding.

Date with an Angel

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The Purple Rose of Cairo

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Chasing Papi

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Playboy Thomas Fuentes has so far been able to skate by in life on good looks and charm alone. But when his duplicitous relationships with three women -- impassioned waitress Cici, meticulous lawyer Lorena and bored socialite Patricia -- spiral out of control, he suffers a mental breakdown. His doctor recommends that he choose just one girlfriend -- but can he choose in time before they discover his deception?

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Cary Medoway

Written by

Cary Medoway · Martin Copeland

Lewis Smith

Lewis Smith

Bobby

Jason Gedrick

Jason Gedrick

Lenny

Jane Kaczmarek

Jane Kaczmarek

Emily

Beau Dremann

Beau Dremann

McIntyre

Richard Mulligan

Richard Mulligan

Rafferty

Mark Metcalf

Mark Metcalf

Joe

Stephen Gregory

Stephen Gregory

Gallo

Court is in session

Put The Heavenly Kid 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.