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Harriet the Spy

Harriet the Spy

Comedy · Drama · Family · 1996

Harriet may only be in the sixth grade, but she's already found her calling: to be a spy. In a private journal she takes everywhere, Harriet records suspicious activity and keeps a running list of observations on virtually everyone she knows. It seems harmless enough until, one day, someone finds the journal and exposes Harriet's critical thoughts about her classmates. Suddenly, even her best friends are against her, and Harriet resolves to take revenge.

Movie details

Harriet the Spy

“On your case!”

1996 Comedy · Drama · Family 1h 41m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.1 / 10

Community rating

Harriet may only be in the sixth grade, but she's already found her calling: to be a spy. In a private journal she takes everywhere, Harriet records suspicious activity and keeps a running list of observations on virtually everyone she knows. It seems harmless enough until, one day, someone finds the journal and exposes Harriet's critical thoughts about her classmates. Suddenly, even her best friends are against her, and Harriet resolves to take revenge.

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 Harriet the Spy?

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

Bronwen Hughes

Written by

Douglas Petrie · Theresa Rebeck · Julie Talen · Greg Taylor

Michelle Trachtenberg

Michelle Trachtenberg

Harriet M. Welsch

Rosie O'Donnell

Rosie O'Donnell

Ole Golly

J. Smith-Cameron

J. Smith-Cameron

Mrs. Welsch

Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt

Agatha K. Plummer

Vanessa Lee Chester

Vanessa Lee Chester

Janie Gibbs

Gregory Smith

Gregory Smith

Sport

Robert Joy

Robert Joy

Ben Welsch

Court is in session

Put Harriet the Spy 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.