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.
Back to trending 
Roald Dahl's Esio Trot
Romance · Comedy · 2015
Retired bachelor Mr Hoppy is hopelessly in love with his neighbour Mrs Silver, but she is only interested in her pet tortoise Alfie - until Mr Hoppy hatches an audacious plan.
Movie details
Roald Dahl's Esio Trot
“A retired bachelor has a thing for his neighbor who only shows affection to her pet tortoise.”
2015 Romance · Comedy 1h 27m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.7 / 10
Community rating
Retired bachelor Mr Hoppy is hopelessly in love with his neighbour Mrs Silver, but she is only interested in her pet tortoise Alfie - until Mr Hoppy hatches an audacious plan.
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 Roald Dahl's Esio Trot?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe 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.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Dearbhla Walsh
Written by
Richard Curtis · Paul Mayhew-Archer
James Corden
Narrator
Dustin Hoffman
Mr. Hoppy
Judi Dench
Mrs. Silver
Salo Gardner
Mr Mavrokoukoudopolous
Lara Rossi
Puppy Boy Mother
Jimmy Akingbola
Keen Petshop Keeper
Katie Lyons
Philip's Mother
Court is in session
Put Roald Dahl's Esio Trot on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
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.