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Bustin' Loose

Bustin' Loose

Comedy · Drama · 1981

After ex-con Joe Braxton violates his probation, he is given a second chance. All he has to do is drive a group of special kids across the country.

Movie details

Bustin' Loose

“He's mad. He's bad. And he's Bustin' Loose.”

1981 Comedy · Drama 1h 34m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

After ex-con Joe Braxton violates his probation, he is given a second chance. All he has to do is drive a group of special kids across the country.

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 Bustin' Loose?

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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Bailey and Darla embark upon a misguided and mutually deceitful form of therapy, one in which they must drive across the country, re-enacting Darla's colorful history as a sex addict. As their true motivations for the road trip come to light, the unlikely pair force one another to confront their issues, discovering that there might actually be more to love than just sex.

The Middle Man

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Frank Farrelli takes on the job as a middle man in the God-forsaken town of Karmack, USA, a community in a depression so deep that they need a middle man to professionally communicate more of the bad news.

About Alex

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When a group of old college friends reunite over a long weekend after one of them attempts suicide, old crushes and resentments shine light on their life decisions, and ultimately push friendships and relationships to the brink.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Oz Scott

Written by

Roger L. Simon · Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor

Joe Braxton

Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson

Vivian Perry

A

Angel Ramirez Jr.

Julio

J

Jimmy Hughes

Harold

E

Edwin DeLeon

Ernesto

E

Edwin Kinter

Anthony

T

Tami Luchow

Linda

Court is in session

Put Bustin' Loose 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.