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Continental Divide

Continental Divide

Comedy · Romance · 1981

A hard-nosed Chicago journalist has an unlikely love affair with an eagle researcher.

Movie details

Continental Divide

“When they met they heard bells. And that was just round one.”

1981 Comedy · Romance 1h 43m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.1 / 10

Community rating

A hard-nosed Chicago journalist has an unlikely love affair with an eagle researcher.

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 Continental Divide?

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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In the midst of election season in New Mexico, political speechwriters Julia Mann and Kevin Vallick begin a romance, unaware they are working for candidates on opposite sides.

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Pushed to the breaking-up point after their latest 'why can't you do this one little thing for me?' argument, Brooke calls it quits with her boyfriend Gary. What follows is a hilarious series of remedies, war tactics, overtures and undermining tricks – all encouraged by the former couple's friends and confidantes …and the occasional total stranger! When neither ex is willing to move out of their shared apartment, the only solution is to continue living as hostile roommates until one of them reaches breaking point.

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A Perfect Pairing

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michael Apted

Written by

Lawrence Kasdan

John Belushi

John Belushi

Ernie Souchak

Blair Brown

Blair Brown

Nell Porter

Allen Garfield

Allen Garfield

Howard McDermott

Carlin Glynn

Carlin Glynn

Sylvia

Tony Ganios

Tony Ganios

Max Bernbaum

Val Avery

Val Avery

Yablonowitz

Liam Russell

Liam Russell

Deke Lewis

Court is in session

Put Continental Divide 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.