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Starting Over

Starting Over

Comedy · Romance · 1979

After divorcing his ambitious singer wife, a middle-aged man begins a new relationship with a teacher.

Movie details

Starting Over

“Phil Potter would like to straighten out his life...one way, or the other.”

1979 Comedy · Romance 1h 45m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.4 / 10

Community rating

After divorcing his ambitious singer wife, a middle-aged man begins a new relationship with a teacher.

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 Starting Over?

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

Alan J. Pakula

Written by

James L. Brooks

Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds

Phil Potter

Jill Clayburgh

Jill Clayburgh

Marilyn Holmburg

Candice Bergen

Candice Bergen

Jessica Potter

Charles Durning

Charles Durning

Michael "Mickey" Potter

Frances Sternhagen

Frances Sternhagen

Marva Potter

Austin Pendleton

Austin Pendleton

Paul

Mary Kay Place

Mary Kay Place

Marie

Court is in session

Put Starting Over 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.