How Poor Communication Between Characters Creates Artificial Drama in Movies
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Summary
The article critiques how movies often rely on poor communication between characters as a cheap plot device to generate drama. Using examples like 'La La Land,' it argues that much cinematic conflict could be avoided if characters simply communicated directly about their problems instead of skirting around issues. The piece examines this storytelling trope across various films and suggests that audiences have become conditioned to accept this 'movie logic' even when it feels unrealistic.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledHave you ever noticed just how much of the drama in movies is generated by an unspoken rule that the characters aren't allowed to communicate well?
Instead of naming the problem, they're forced to skirt around it until the plot makes it impossible to ignore.
It's the cheapest way to build effective drama, but if you don't fully dissolve yourself in the movie logic, the whole time you want to scream, 'can't anyone just talk about what's happening directly?!'
A huge part of the drama of the movie could have been avoided if the Ryan Gosling character said to the Emma Stone character...
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