Remember watching something in a movie you wanted to repeat? Well, fiction is not only there for escapism; many writers/filmmakers want spectators to be wiser and adapt lessons characters learned to real life. They convincingly use words, directing, cinematography and music to portray emotions. Of course, not every film has a profound lesson in it. Some are pure entertainment or teach bad lessons. And that’s ok.
Anime and gaming fan Micu was thinking about what an “awful message” the musical Grease delivers and asked Reddit “What’s a movie that teaches a really bad lesson?” She received over 6k responses. Rom-coms and action movies got a lot of smack in the thread. Scroll down for the best ones, and an interview with Micu.
#1
just about every rom com that teaches men that ‘no’ means ‘keep trying’ instead of ‘f&%k off’.
Image source: daddyshotmess, His Girl Friday
#2
Any movie that teaches the idea that if you’re persistent, then you’ll get the girl/guy.
Image source: JoMiEd, Pride & Prejudice
#3
Grease : If He cannot “rise” to her level – She should “sink” to his.
Image source: BlitheringEediot, Grease
#4
Fifty Shades of Grey.
It’s a movie about a guy who was ab$#ed perpetuating the cycle of abuse with the thin veneer of “it’s okay because he’s rich and this is how BDSM works.” The f%^k it does; almost all the characters are all sh$^ty people. Period.
Image source: Lentra888, Fifty Shades Darker
#5
13 reasons why. Not a movie, but is basically plays to the fantasy of any teenager who’s thinking of harming themselves how everyone will run around afterwards trying to piece it all together and they’ll still be a big part of peoples lives when they’re gone.
The sad reality is that this is not true and it’s a terrible message to give to kids.
Image source: RavenBrannigan, 13 Reasons Why
#6
Cats. It teaches impressionable Hollywood producers that it’s a good idea to make a movie like Cats.
Image source: flychinook, Cats
#7
The whole Twilight series. Edward and Jacob are both controlling pricks at best, and Bella is too spineless to put them in their place.
“My love dumped me, so I’m going to engage in reckless behavior.”
“My love is dead, so I’m going to commit su&%#de by cop.”
“My love is in a relationship with someone else, so I’m going to try to force myself on her so she will change her mind.”
If you want some professional input about how bad the relationships are in Twilight, check out Cinema Therapy on YouTube.
Image source: DeadpanWords, Twillight
#8
Any romcom. You’re about to get married, but you met a really cool person you had a connection with. Now your fiance seemed… Off. They aren’t the right person for you. Leave them for that stranger.
Image source: DIDiMISSsomethin, Bridget Jones’s Baby
#9
Love Story. “Love means never having to say you’re sorry!” What the hell were they thinking?
Image source: NutsAndOrBerries, Love Story
#10
The Sex and the City Movie… and series. Big leaves Carrie time and time again over the years. This teaches that if you stick around your toxic relationship the man might finally change and commit to you…even after 10 years!
With that said, I love SATC! Watching it in my 20’s I saw Carrie finally get her man. Watching it in my 30’s I cringe and just wish Carrie would have stayed with Aiden.
Image source: mizzo0o, Sex and the City 2
#11
Most high school movies. There’s nothing wrong with wearing glasses. Characters barely ever study etc.
Image source: eliterule12, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
#12
50 shades of gray. Creepy dude gets viewed as elegant and mysterious just because he’s rich
Image source: CaydeWick, 50 Shades Of Grey
#13
40 days and 40 nights. It’s about a girl who’s a total slot but she decides to challenge herself not to have sex for 40 days. She’s doing fine until her friend makes a website about it and a being pool starts. Suddenly everyone is trying to get her in bed.
Meanwhile she meets this really great guy who teaches her that love doesn’t have to involve sex, you can have a great time and even be intimate without f@#king.
Still, she’s so horny, you guys. At the end of the 40 days, she literally handcuffs herself to a bed to keep from letting anyone f@#k her.
The pool is up to huge amounts of money now.
Then her ex boyfriend walks in. He sees her tied up, so he ras her. He claims the prize money and literally rides off into the sunset.
The s*#^ty girl is upset because her awesome new boyfriend might not accept her now that she cheated on him by being red but it turns out he’s ok with it.
Oh wait oops I accidentally reversed the genders of all those characters.
Image source: Ray_LAC, 40 Days and 40 Nights
#14
Lots and lots of romantic movies. Maybe you can just walk up and kiss someone like in The Notebook if you’re Ryan Gosling. In reality, though, get consent first ffs.
Any action movie where someone disarms someone who has a knife. Don’t try that. If possible, run the fuck away.
Fifty shades of grey. Shit writing aside, that’s not how you do bdsm, relationships or anything in between. It’s not romantic. It’s creepy. Why in the fuck did anyone like that movie?
Image source: Zeelthor, The Notebook
#15
Revenge of the Nerds can’t even claim it’s satirical. The nerds are just as bad – if not worse – than the jocks. Yes the jocks started it by running a few pigs through their party. What the nerds do is far worse but really only at the expense of the easier targets – their women.
Other than the humility of losing in what is effectively a few competitions they cheat at (along with some Tigers Balm in their jockstraps), the Lambdas don’t really get revenge on the jocks, they take it out on their women.
First they spy on them in the nude. Then they distribute the nude photos to the school. Finally Lewis r*^es Betty Childs. All because like four girlfriends helped the jocks with the pigs?
And the idea that it’s okay because Lewis is good in bed is beyond disturbing. She doesn’t just accept it, she decides she’s “in love with a nerd.” That movie was written by some serious incels.
Image source: AtomicPunk, Revenge of The Nerds
#16
Overboard – she has amnesia so he convinces her she is his wife & mother to his 3-4 kids. Then he has sex with her.
So r#^ey.
Image source: Sparkle__M0tion, Overboard
#17
a lot of disney channel stuff aimed at teenage girls. the protagonists are bi&$hy and manipulative and use their looks to get what they want disguised as empowerment
Image source: Virtual_Smile, Cruella
#18
Passengers with Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. It’s okay to develop Stockholm syndrome and fall in love with the guy who basically ruined your life and manipulated you.
Image source: misslemon9, Passenger
#19
My Best Friend’s Wedding – Hey, I know a way to show my support for my best friend. Lets sabotage his wedding to a perfectly lovely girl.
Image source: AgreeableShirt1338, My Best Friend’s Wedding
#20
Not a movie, but the kids’ show “Caillou” is fucking terrible. It’s made for kids at the age where they copy everything they see, and the main little fucker in the show crys and whines the whole time, so kids who watch it become insufferable.
Bad lesson for kids, good lesson for parents who will learn about “modeling.”
Image source: Bananagrahama, Caillou
#21
Shrek teaches it’s okay to inflate innocent animals into balloons and let them float away to their probable death
#22
Pretty mild example but Justice League.
The moral of the story is basically that a team is nothing without their strongest member. Basically it’s contradicting the moral of what teamwork even stands for in the first place.
Image source: hmansloth, Justice League
#23
Oft cited, but for good reason – Revenge of the Nerds. R@#ey stalkers are the heroes here.
Image source: Old_Year9015, Revenge of the Nerds
#24
Didn’t want to let the kids see Jackass. Gave in. Ńext day, the very next day, they were sliding down a staircase in a laundry basket.
Image source: mediaman54, Jackass 3D
#25
Chicken Little oh my GOD that freaking chicken’s father did not give an f about his son until he was the big star of the town
Image source: itsskylerprobably, Chicken Little
#26
Not a movie, but Paw Patrol. All the adults are incompetent and require a kid with 5 dogs to deal with their every problem.
Image source: 7c518c130a4c, Paw Patrol
#27
Hocus Pocus, Max gets relentlessly harassed and bullied almost the entire movie for being a virgin
Image source: RetailDrone7576
#28
Any movie where a couch or car door is used as cover in a firefight.
That’s concealment really…
A .22 will go through a car door or a couch.
A car isn’t even cover like in Jon Wick or anything. Rifle rounds will zip right through unless it’s a solid engine block hit.
Image source: Kunkyskunts, John Wick
#29
Christmas with the Kranks teaches us that adults should not be allowed to spend Christmas however they like, and they must bow to peer pressure and do what other people want them to do.
Image source: QuietlySmirking, Christmas with the Kranks
#30
The intern – teaches if your boyfriend cheats on you because he can’t stand how successful you are, it’s your fault and you should forgive him
Image source: misskitten1313, The Intern
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