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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Cookie's Fortune
Comedy · Drama · 1999
Conflict arises in the small town of Holly Springs when an old woman's death causes a variety of reactions among family and friends.
Movie details
Cookie's Fortune
“Welcome to Holly Springs... home of murder, mayhem and catfish enchiladas.”
1999 Comedy · Drama 1h 58m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.4 / 10
Community rating
Conflict arises in the small town of Holly Springs when an old woman's death causes a variety of reactions among family and friends.
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 Cookie's Fortune?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Where it lives
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Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.
Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Robert Altman
Written by
Anne Rapp
Glenn Close
Camille Dixon
Julianne Moore
Cora Duvall
Liv Tyler
Emma Duvall
Chris O'Donnell
Jason Brown
Charles S. Dutton
Willis Richland
Patricia Neal
Jewel Mae "Cookie" Orcutt
Ned Beatty
Lester Boyle
Court is in session
Put Cookie's Fortune on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
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.