Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share Which Things Are Totally Normal In Movies But Never Happen IRL

People Share Which Things Are Totally Normal In Movies But Never Happen IRL
Photo by Corina Rainer on Unsplash

Movies, especially the action-packed ones, need to keep things moving. Plot and character development reign supreme over all else.

The collateral damage of those priorities? Realistic, accurate, mundane details.


Most of the glossed-over details go unnoticed. After all, people went to the movies to be absorbed for a couple hours, not educated on the finer details of gun operation and morning routines.

But a recent Reddit thread removes the blinders. Hollywood's oversights and inaccuracies are named, explained, and denounced.

It's a thread that fascinates while it risks ruining movies for you. Here's hoping you don't become an insufferable movie night guest after the discoveries.

OG_Builds asked, "What's something that is totally normal in movies, but never happens in real life?"

Tick, Tick, Tick

"Bombs with a special display that counts down to zero." -- VoiceOfRealson

"I would love a movie where someone fakes a timer, so when the heroes think they still have very tense 10s to cut the specific wire, it actually already explodes." -- jan_67

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

"Being able to outrun an explosion." -- My_Dog_Rolls_In_Poo

"Enough force from an explosion to push you off your feet and several meters forward. But not enough force to collapse your lungs." -- lemonylol

"While we're on explosions, can we talk about grenades?"

"Grenades do not create a fireball in real life. They're basically just really intense flashbangs with shrapnel." -- YourTypicalRediot

WHAT DID YOU SAY?!

"Actually being able to have a conversation at a bar while music is playing." -- Birthday_Dad

"Or just groups of people having a conversation and no one interrupting or talking over each other" -- hammerdown710

"And nightclubs. Movies and TV made nightclubs out to be more fun than they really are" -- ThaddeusSimmons

A Few Minutes With a Shovel

"In horror movies I always enjoy how fast and deep a perfectly symmetrical grave gets dug" -- LugosisKarloff

"Exactly, digging a grave takes ages with a shovel, but in movies and games it's a matter of a few hours at most." -- Slippy-Vagina

"It takes me forever to fix a sprinkler yet in American Horror Story: Murder House, two people dug a grave and built a gazebo on top of it in less than a day." -- boardgamegreek

Tinnitus is Lame

"Using guns in small rooms with no ear protection, without being affected by the very loud bang that would probably damage your hearing" -- TheMoris

"I was so used to this that I was really confused when Rick in The Walking Dead used a gun inside a tank and then obviously suffered from the noise."

"There's just a loud ringing and he looks like his head is going to explode and I was like 'wtf is his problem' - took me a moment to realize that this is probably what would happen." -- rosarevolution

Getting the Main Idea

"Guy walks in holding a 30-page document, gives to some other dude."

"The dude who's getting the document glances at the first page for a nanosecond and immediately knows everything there is to know about this case."

-- I_hate_traveling

A Very Unfussy Customer

"Someone goes up to a bar and asks for alcohol or beer and the bartender gives it to them without asking the brand or type." -- goggleboxdogooder

"Whatever they ask for is conveniently right in front of the bartender under the bar." -- MeMuzzta

"Hello sir, I would like one alcohol please" -- stnrnts

Be Sure to Budget That Time In

"Most 'knockout' drugs don't work very fast."

"Chloroform is always depicted to be some "instant-knockout" drug when in reality it takes several minutes of constant exposure to knock someone unconscious."

"I'd guess a bad guy standing there for seven minutes waiting for the hero to pass out would probably make for a boring movie."

-- SirFrogger

Not Adding Up

"Working as a waitress and living in a huge apartment, with the fridge full, and expensive clothes." -- DemonLinuzzz

"In California or New York City of all places." -- TheRedMaiden

"And still having the energy to have hobbies and do everything in the world after your 12 hour shift." -- acid_bear_boy

Somewhere to Be

"A crash or chase happens with shooting and stuff and every other car continues to drive as if nothing is going on around them."

"People slam on the breaks in real life cause a cop is going the opposite direction on the highway, yet you watch a Marvel movie and a dudes tailgating a van Cpt America and Ultron are actively fighting on."

-- ShnuckTuck88

Double Standards

"Women can be in the jungle for days but no body hair anywhere. Men instantly grow a beard." -- bubblebumblejumble

"Because a woman having hair on any part of her body other than her head is scandalous, even in movies where ANYBODY in real life would grow hair if they had no access to proper shaving equipment for days on end."

Notice how in commercials for women's razors, their legs aren't actually hairy." -- PerfectTube12

Wouldn't That Be Nice

"Meeting new friends the minute you move to a new town" -- Pralineswithrum

"Especially when they don't try, people just approach them. Everyone's so interested in figuring the guy out" -- omgidfk123

"This one time I move into a new house, and as soon as I got there three people came by, started talking to me, starting using my computer, my bathroom, and ate my pizza on the counter. Oh, wait, that was The Sims." -- IllyriaGodKing

Who are these Eloquent People?

"Unless they are written to be stupid/ comic relief, people in movies talk with zero filler words. In real life very few people are able to do that." -- Wind_Yer_Neck_In

"Yeah but like I want my movies to like kind of have characters like talking like um... you know, sort of like talking like this all the time." -- reginatribiani

"That's because it's really hard to make scripted verbal tics sound realistic. Not many actors can pull it off outside of comedy." -- reallybirdysomedays

THEY STUDIED A LOT

"Scientists in any field are experts in every other field of science as well, e.g. the physicist in Annihilation concluding the tree formations are due to homeotic mutations." -- survivalofthefittest

"Same with technology in general. 'If only I could track this military grade radio back to the government agents trying to kill me. I guess I better take it to that guy in IT.' 5 minutes later, they have a physical address to the bad guys." -- Unblued

Important Not to be Hasty When Slashing People

"Serial killers just standing there staring at you and giving you enough Time to escape." -- LonelySwimming8

"And then the target runs away full speed whilst the killer slowly walks and yet never seems to fall further behind." -- lemoountofcountydisco

"Or giving a long-winded explanation which allows enough time for hero to rescue or for the intended victim to fashion an unusual weapon or devise a clever escape" -- urgent45

Locked and Loaded

"Unlimited bullets and accuracy 100% for shooting normal bad guys" -- beklog

"While the normal bad guys have unlimited bullets and 0% accuracy shooting back." -- Nimelannar

"Being able to talk in the middle of a gunfight. Guns are loud. The dozens to hundreds of gunshots in a movie gunfight would leave everyone with their ears ringing till the next day." -- DarkYendor

Always Yes

"Ask your friends to meet you at a predetermined time and place with no explanation as to why."

"I have a hard time getting friends to meet up for legitimate reasons with advanced notice. Meanwhile, movie characters come together in an abandoned warehouse in Brazil like..."

"(all walk in at the same time)"

"'Why'd you call?"'

-- huazzy

Do Not Take Cues From Romantic Comedies

"The pushy dude in the romcom ends up getting the girl whereas in real life they'd be more likely to end up with a restraining order." -- IWillCube

"Surprised I had to scroll so far to see this one. Being pushy and persistent in real life is a good way to be labeled a creepy stalker, not a good way to get a girlfriend." -- sai_gunslinger

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshot of Michael Keaton; Elon Musk and Donald Trump
@MichaelKeaton/X; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Michael Keaton Epically Rips Trump And Musk In Fiery Warning To MAGA: 'They're Not Your Bros'

Actor Michael Keaton criticized former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to warn and remind Trump supporters that the two men "think you're stupid."

Keaton posted the following video to X, formerly Twitter, saying:

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Elon Musk Dragged After Sharing Troll's Fake Article Claiming Trump Is 'Literally Hitler'

Billionaire Elon Musk was called out after he claimed Democrats are "literally foaming at the mouth" while sharing a supposed article from The Atlantic with the headline "Trump is Literally Hitler."

There's one major problem: The article doesn't exist.

Keep ReadingShow less
Van Jones; Kamala Harris
CNN

Van Jones Perfectly Sums Up What's 'Unfair' About Double Standard Kamala Harris Is Held To

CNN political analyst Van Jones was incensed that voters and the media are holding Democratic candidate Kamala Harris to a higher standard in the election than her Republican opponent Donald Trump.

"It's pissing people off. It's pissing me off," said Jones when asked to comment on a recent poll by the Wall Street Journal showing voters overlooking Trump's bizarre remarks and starting to adopt a more positive view of Trump's policies.

Keep ReadingShow less
Billie Eilish
Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images

Billie Eilish Shares Painful-Looking Bruise After Tripping Down Stairs During NYC Concert

Billie Eilish shared a video and photo on her Instagram Stories showing a large bruise on her leg after falling down the steps while leaving the stage during her October 18 show at Madison Square Garden.

The fall happened as part of her world tour, which began on September 29 in Quebec and will run until July 2025, ending in Ireland.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pedro Pascal from 'Gladiator II'; Paul Mescal from 'Gladiator II'
Paramount Pictures

Paul Mescal's Story About Kissing Pedro Pascal's Forehead While Filming 'Gladiator II' Has Fans Swooning

Actors Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal finished rehearsing a battle scene for the upcoming Gladiator II movie and sealed it with a kiss.

Mescal, the Irish actor who turned in a beautiful performance in last year's romantic fantasy All of Us Strangers, revealed to Entertainment Weekly that he planted a kiss on Pascal's forehead during an improv scene for the sequel to the 2000 Gladiator film.

Keep ReadingShow less