Movie tropes are inherently neutral and, when used meaningfully and creatively, can help tell a compelling story on the big screen.
However, sometimes they get overused, becoming totally cliché and annoying to viewers who are tired of watching the same formulaic setups, predictable plot points or tedious gags over and over again.
One of the most widely used and agitating tropes movies often employ is that of the love triangle.
Though sometimes key to a film’s story and the main character’s arc and growth, such as in Bridget Jones’s Diary, this largely insufferable narrative device has become a grating fixture particularly in the sweeping, romantic historical drama and teen fantasy/dystopian romance genres, such as the Twilight Saga or Hunger Games series.
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Elsewhere, situational tropes such as a character’s cell phone suddenly getting no service during a tense scene—which is often used in horror movies and thrillers—or a character with a low-paying job being able to afford an impressive apartment sans roommates or financial struggle, are just too unrealistic or distracting.
Meanwhile, some tropes are downright problematic, like when mental illness is played for laughs. In the 2000 Jim Carrey comedy Me, Myself & Irene, Carrey’s character Charley has schizophrenia, and his unpredictable, sexually deviant and sometimes violent behaviors perpetuate hurtful and false misconceptions about the condition. The film was reportedly slammed by mental health organizations upon its release.
While tropes are undoubtedly important cinematic storytelling devices, their overuse can fatigue movie lovers who desire and deserve to see something fresh and clever on screen.
Most Hated Movie Tropes
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These dual performances are doubly distracting.
Gallery Credit: Emma Stefansky
