Have you ever watched a movie and yelled at the screen? Maybe it was when the hero found a perfect parking spot right in front of a skyscraper. Or perhaps it was when a family sat down to a massive, chef-prepared breakfast on a busy school day. These moments make us wonder if anyone in Hollywood has ever lived a normal life.
The Perfect Movie Life
First, movies often present a lifestyle that is completely unattainable. Characters with low-paying jobs somehow live in spacious, beautifully decorated apartments in major cities. They never seem to struggle with rent or clutter. This creates a fantasy world where everyday problems simply disappear.
“Always finding a parking space in front of your building and people with low wage jobs in great apartments.”
Furthermore, daily routines are wildly exaggerated for the camera. For example, families don’t typically cook massive feasts before rushing off to work and school. In reality, most people grab a quick bowl of cereal or a piece of toast. These scenes, however, paint a picture of idyllic family life that is more fiction than fact.
“Cooking an all you can eat buffet’s worth of breakfast for a family of 4 on a random school day morning.”
When Logic Leaves Town
Additionally, characters in films often make baffling decisions that defy all logic. This is most obvious in horror movies. A group of friends will find clear evidence of danger, yet their first instinct is to separate. This trope serves the plot but leaves audiences questioning the characters’ common sense.
“*finds the tortured and mangled body of someone in the friend group*… “Ok we should split up.””
Moreover, dialogue can feel incredibly unnatural. Characters frequently deliver long, awkward speeches that explain their entire backstory to someone who should already know it. This clumsy exposition helps the audience catch up. However, it breaks the illusion of a real conversation and feels like a script, not a discussion.
“Say their backstory. ‘Look, Sam, I know you’re my brother who watched over me for so long after Dad died…'”
Enjoying the Fantasy
Nevertheless, these unrealistic moments are often necessary storytelling shortcuts. For instance, planning a date with vague instructions like “Pick me up at 8” saves valuable screen time. The movie can skip the boring logistics of choosing a place and time. It keeps the story moving forward quickly.
“‘Pick me up at 8’ … Are they not going to discuss plans?”
Ultimately, many of these tropes exist for pure wish fulfillment. We see a hero with terrible health habits who is still in perfect physical shape. This is not realistic, but it allows us to escape into a world where consequences do not exist. Therefore, by recognizing these tropes as part of the fun, we can enjoy movies for the fantasy they provide.
“The rough-and-tough male character will smoke, drink excessively, not sleep, and have zero healthy habits. Then he takes his shirt off and he’s absolutely ripped.”
