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."
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
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
