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.
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Harry and the Hendersons
Comedy · Family · Fantasy · 1987
Returning from a hunting trip in the forest, the Henderson family's car hits an animal in the road. At first they fear it was a man, but when they examine the "body" they find it's a "bigfoot". They think it's dead so they decide to take it home (there could be some money in this). As you guessed, it isn't dead. Far from being the ferocious monster they fear "Harry" to be, he's a friendly giant.
Movie details
Harry and the Hendersons
“When you can't believe your eyes, trust your heart.”
1987 Comedy · Family · Fantasy 1h 50m
Critical arithmetic
The consensus, allegedly.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
IMDb
6.1 / 10
39.5K votes
Rotten Tomatoes
50 %
Tomatometer
Metacritic
42 / 100
Metascore
TMDB
6.1 / 10
Community rating
External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.
Returning from a hunting trip in the forest, the Henderson family's car hits an animal in the road. At first they fear it was a man, but when they examine the "body" they find it's a "bigfoot". They think it's dead so they decide to take it home (there could be some money in this). As you guessed, it isn't dead. Far from being the ferocious monster they fear "Harry" to be, he's a friendly giant.
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 Harry and the Hendersons?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Big-Idea Head
“You watch with your brain, not your gut.”
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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The Proud Family Movie
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The Son of Bigfoot
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Teenage outsider Adam sets out on an epic and daring quest to uncover the mystery behind his long-lost dad, only to find out that he is none other than the legendary Bigfoot! He has been hiding deep in the forest for years to protect himself and his family from HairCo., a giant corporation eager to run scientific experiments with his special DNA. As father and son start making up for lost time after the boy's initial disbelief, Adam soon discovers that he too is gifted with superpowers beyond his imagination. But little do they know, HairCo. is on their tail as Adam's traces have led them to Bigfoot!
The Legend of Ochi
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The Even Stevens Movie
TV Movie · 2003
The Stevens think that they've won an all-expenses-paid trip to an island halfway around the world. When their house is destroyed, their food stolen, and their bacon eaten, the Stevens family crumbles, unaware that their family vacation is in fact a hidden camera reality show!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
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When laidback Greg finds himself at odds with his dad's outsized expectations, pressure builds to turn his act around. After a series of hilarious near disasters, Greg's dad presents him with an ultimatum that just might challenge his wimpy ways for good.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Adventure · 1989
The scientist father of a teenage girl and boy accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
William Dear
Written by
Ezra D. Rappaport · Bill Martin · William Dear
John Lithgow
George Henderson
Melinda Dillon
Nancy Henderson
Don Ameche
Dr. Wallace Wrightwood
David Suchet
Jacques Lafleur
Margaret Langrick
Sarah Henderson
Joshua Rudoy
Ernie Henderson
M. Emmet Walsh
George Henderson Sr.
Court is in session
Put Harry and the Hendersons on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Big-Idea Head
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.