What is up with characters who don't communicate with each other? How many problems could be solved if characters just listened to each other and didn't leave the room in a huff?
In the real world, people wouldn't stand for that, FYI.
It's an insult to our collective intelligence.
This isn't the only annoying movie or TV trope of course.
We heard about quite a few more after Redditor yahyahashash asked the online community:
"What is something you despise or find really cringey/annoying in TV shows or movies that everyone overlooks?"
"When someone hangs off..."
"When someone hangs off a cliff or something by just one hand, almost about to fall but then a friend offers their hand, they grab it and the friend just pulls them up like that? I haven’t tried it but it always looks unrealistic or at least incredibly hard to me."
IllustriousCraft69
Especially when the puller doesn't look like they work out and regularly haul 200 pounds of deadweight around without breaking a sweat.
"Whenever characters..."
"Whenever characters deliver expositionary diapogue like this: "Come on, we've been friends for 14 years, I've got your back.""
PunkandCannonballer
I can't stand it. Bad screenwriting 101. So many films out there that could serve as a good playbook... and people still make these mistakes.
"Whenever they depict..."
"Whenever they depict “hacking” or really anything related to computer programming."
elseman
You know the magic words: "I'M IN."
"Everyone is sitting around..."
"Everyone is sitting around one side of the table, that’s the worst. I totally understand why it’s done and why it’s necessary but it honestly makes the characters look absolutely insane."
GhostPantherNiall
This always used to bother me when I was younger. When I learned about camera angles and how filmmakers set up shots, everything made a lot more sense.
"High school students..."
"High school students who are 30."
xeroxchick
"The romanticization..."
"The romanticization of abusive relationships. That is probably responsible for a lot of abuse and trauma in the world. It normalizes the idea that relationships are full of constant heart-wrenching drama."
[deleted[
This definitely has not helped the amount of abuse and trauma in the world.
"Characters..."
"Characters making decisions nobody would actually make just to move the story along."
opus_4_up
When characters start making certain decisions only because the screenplay requires them to, that's so frustrating, not to mention an insult to our intelligence.
"Characters with disabilities..."
"Characters with disabilities who are superhumans like the autistic person having a crazy high intelligence or when the group is having a hard time figuring something out and the dude with Tourette's says something that helps the group find out a clue."
FallAlternative
Characters with disabilities are either superheroes are comedic relief. There is no in between.
"I am always distracted..."
"I am always distracted by the driver not watching the road. LOOK WHERE YOU ARE GOING!"
whydoyoulook
I was watching a movie last night where not a single character looked at the road while having very extensive back and forth dialogue... it drove me mad. At that point, just sit at a table.
"When the actor..."
"When the actor is driving a car being towed by a rig and they wiggle the steering wheel back and forth."
Jaycatt
Yeah... what's up with that? Quite distracting.
Keep reapeating to yourself: It's only a movie. They're not bound by reality necessarily, but they should try a bit harder if they want audiences to accept their authenticity.
Have some observations of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
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NBC News via Lisa Anderson