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Blaze

Blaze

Drama · Music · History · 2018

Inspired by the life of Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas outlaw country movement that spawned the likes of Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. The film weaves together three periods in Blaze's life, exploring his love affair with Sybil Rosen; his last, dark night on Earth; and the impact his songs and his death had on his fans, friends, and foes.

Movie details

Blaze

“Based on a true Texas love story”

2018 Drama · Music · History 2h 9m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

Inspired by the life of Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas outlaw country movement that spawned the likes of Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. The film weaves together three periods in Blaze's life, exploring his love affair with Sybil Rosen; his last, dark night on Earth; and the impact his songs and his death had on his fans, friends, and foes.

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 Blaze?

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

Ethan Hawke

Written by

Ethan Hawke · Sybil Rosen

Ben Dickey

Ben Dickey

Blaze Foley

Alia Shawkat

Alia Shawkat

Sybil Rosen

Josh Hamilton

Josh Hamilton

Zee

L

Lloyd Teddy Johnson Jr.

Concho January

Charlie Sexton

Charlie Sexton

Townes Van Zant

Wyatt Russell

Wyatt Russell

Glyn

Jenn Lyon

Jenn Lyon

Cinnamon

Court is in session

Put Blaze on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.