The defence The Popcorn Loyalist
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
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Man of the Year
Comedy · Romance · Thriller · 2006
The irreverent host of a political satire talk show decides to run for president to mock the political system and expose corruption in Washington. What begins as a publicity stunt quickly gathers unexpected momentum as his message resonates with frustrated voters.
Movie details
Man of the Year
“Elections are made to be broken.”
2006 Comedy · Romance · Thriller 1h 55m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.0 / 10
Community rating
The irreverent host of a political satire talk show decides to run for president to mock the political system and expose corruption in Washington. What begins as a publicity stunt quickly gathers unexpected momentum as his message resonates with frustrated voters.
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 Man of the Year?
For the defence
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
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.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
D.E.B.S.
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Killers
Action · 2010
When an elite assassin marries a beautiful computer whiz after a whirlwind romance, he gives up the gun and settles down with his new bride. That is, until he learns that someone from his past has put a contract out on his life.
The Right Kind of Wrong
Romance · 2013
A stubborn idealist spies a bride on her way to her wedding and immediately falls in love with her.
Speechless
Romance · 1994
In the midst of election season in New Mexico, political speechwriters Julia Mann and Kevin Vallick begin a romance, unaware they are working for candidates on opposite sides.
Straight Talk
Comedy · 1992
Honest and straightforward small-town Shirlee Kenyon chucks her boyfriend and heads for Chicago. Accidentally having to host a radio problem phone-in show, it is clear she is a natural and is hired on the spot. But the station insists she call herself Doctor, and as her popularity grows a local reporter starts digging for the truth. Problem is, the more he is around her the more he fancies her.
Yoh! Bestie
Romance · 2026
Thando is perpetually unlucky in love, but when her bestie returns from his travels with a fiancée in tow, she's forced to face a new emotion — jealousy.
Wedding Season
Romance · 2022
Pressured by their immigrant parents to find spouses, two Indian-Americans pretend to date in order to survive a summer of weddings – but find themselves falling for each other as they struggle to balance who they are with who their parents want them to be.
Easy Virtue
Comedy · 2008
A young Englishman marries a glamorous American. When he brings her home to meet the parents, she arrives like a blast from the future - blowing their entrenched British stuffiness out the window.
Isn't It Romantic
Comedy · 2019
For a long time, Natalie, an Australian architect living in New York City, had always believed that what she had seen in rom-coms is all fantasy. But after thwarting a mugger at a subway station only to be knocked out while fleeing, Natalie wakes up and discovers that her life has suddenly become her worst nightmare—a romantic comedy—and she is the leading lady.
Little Italy
Comedy · 2018
Former childhood pals Leo and Nikki are attracted to each other as adults—but will their feuding parents' rival pizzerias put a chill on their sizzling romance?
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Barry Levinson
Written by
Barry Levinson
Robin Williams
Tom Dobbs
Christopher Walken
Jack Menken
Laura Linney
Eleanor Green
Lewis Black
Eddie Langston
Jeff Goldblum
Stewart
David Alpay
Danny
Faith Daniels
Moderator
Court is in session
Put Man of the Year 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.