Movie Cliches

[marywebgirl]

Are there any movies that feature the uptight-corporate-drone-meets-dying-freespirit plotline with the sexes of the characters reversed? I think I'd find that at least somewhat interesting....

If the uptight corporate drone is a woman she gets a baby/child.

[shriekingeel]

You know, I really liked when Silence of the Lambs did it 16 years ago, but now every single drama does it, including TV shows (Ghost Whisperer of all things, did it tonight). I'm talking about the scene where the police are at the door where the killer is holding his latest victim, but when they enter....it's empty! You see, they were at the wrong address! Betcha weren't expecting that, were ya? Were ya, huh?

It was fresh and interesting when SOTL did it, but now it's just a cheap trick, and an increasingly hoary cliche.

[tszuj]

"The Family Stone" had Sarah Jessica Parker as a total uptight, work-obsessed WASP freed and taught joy by the hippie stoner brother character.

[Deleted]

I had to revive this thread and I don't even recall where I saw this last night -- But I do know I've seen this sort of thing many times: There's a crisis in an action/thriller movie and all the main characters are milling around bickering and yelling about what should be done next. One single character slowly moves away from the group, staring fixedly at something, clearly having a mental breakthrough but nobody notices. He says, "Guys...? Guys..." and one by one the rest of the group stops jabbering and turns to look at the person and he points at something (a map, a computer screen, whatever) and they all gasp in awe at the obvious solution that was right in front of them the whole time.

And while I'm at it -- The Charlie's Angel's phenomenon: Two of them, during a crisis, look at one another and one says, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" The other nods. Immediately they launch into a move that involves timing, finesse, strategy and planning... without really having to discuss it ahead of time.