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The Pledge

The Pledge

Crime · Drama · Mystery · 2001

A police chief, about to retire, pledges to help a woman find her daughter's killer.

Movie details

The Pledge

“Detective Jerry Black has made a promise he can't break, to catch a killer he can't find.”

2001 Crime · Drama · Mystery 2h 4m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.6 / 10

Community rating

A police chief, about to retire, pledges to help a woman find her daughter's killer.

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 The Pledge?

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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Edge of Darkness

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As a seasoned homicide detective, Thomas Craven has seen the bleakest side of humanity. But nothing prepares him for the toughest investigation of his life: the search for his only daughter Emma's killer. Now, he is on a personal mission to uncover the disturbing secrets surrounding her murder, including corporate corruption, government collusion and Emma's own mysterious life.

A Walk Among the Tombstones

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Private investigator Matthew Scudder is hired by a drug kingpin to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.

The Limits of Control

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A mysterious stranger works outside the law and keeps his objectives hidden, trusting no one. While his demeanor is paradoxically focused and dreamlike all at once, he embarks on a journey that not only takes him across Spain, but also through his own consciousness.

Mulholland Falls

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In 1950s Los Angeles, a special crime squad of the LAPD investigates the murder of a young woman.

In the Heat of the Night

In the Heat of the Night

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Stolen

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The Big Sleep

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The First Deadly Sin

The First Deadly Sin

Crime · 1980

A serial killer is stalking New York City. Inspector Edward Delaney is an NYPD detective, nearing retirement, who is trying to put together the pieces of the case. Are the victims somehow linked? What does the brutal method of death signify?

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Sean Penn

Written by

Jerzy Kromolowski · Mary Olson-Kromolowski

Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson

Jerry Black

Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren

Doctor

Aaron Eckhart

Aaron Eckhart

Stan Krolak

Robin Wright

Robin Wright

Lori

Sam Shepard

Sam Shepard

Eric Pollack

Benicio del Toro

Benicio del Toro

Toby Jay Wadenah

Patricia Clarkson

Patricia Clarkson

Margaret Larsen

Court is in session

Put The Pledge on trial.

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

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.