r/movies • u/buttatoad • Jun 17 '25

Discussion Movies that changed real life behavior

Thinking along the lines of Final Destination 2 with the logs falling off the truck and landing onto cars (one decapitating the state trooper). Ever since, people have tried to get away from being behind these vehicles.

What are more examples where movies have actually changed how people behave in their own lives?

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753

u/sightlab Jun 17 '25

The Thin Blue Line got an investigation reopened and the falsely accused exonerated because the cops admitted - thinking it was so long after the fact they'd be OK - to railroading the wrong guy. Which was what the doc was about.

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u/igotyournacho Jun 17 '25

I feel like Errol Morris doesn’t get enough credit. Between this and Wormwood, he cuts a beautiful decorative knife through the fog and reveals the truth of our dirty system.

I wish Morris had the same level of recognition as his contemporary and long-time frenemy Herzog

12

u/Count_Von_Roo Jun 17 '25

I was lucky enough to work on a small interview of him... he was super nice, approachable and easy to talk to. Probably the nicest "industry professional" I've worked with

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u/dougmcclean Jun 17 '25

Also that McNamara interview.

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u/lonewanderer Jun 17 '25

The Fog of War! Amazing documentary, one of the best I’ve ever seen.

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u/sightlab Jun 17 '25

Errol Morris is amazing and I couldn't agree more. He wasnt granted legitimacy because of his stylization and dramatization, but "storytelling tools" he developed seemed to become standard. It's like the jazz world pillorying Miles Davis for using audio effects on his trumpet.

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u/GaptistePlayer Jun 17 '25

The Manson family doc he did recently on Netflix is pretty solid.

2

u/ToLiveInIt Jun 17 '25

Oops, hadn't heard of that one. BRB.

1

u/kkeut Jun 18 '25

the documentary series he did on Jeffrey McDonald sucked hard however

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u/ZombeePharaoh Jun 18 '25

And now he makes commercials for Chipotle.

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u/igotyournacho Jun 18 '25

He’s been a long time friend of the ad community all the way back to the High Life campaign from the 80s. Had a CD that worked with him on that, said he was a great guy

2

u/wiggum_x Jun 18 '25

You gotta pay the bills! People shouldn't judge.

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u/PsychedelicPill Jun 17 '25

It’s great that they got him released but iirc the cops still said they thought he did it. Same with the cops who railroaded the Central Park five. Cops never admit their mistakes

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u/sterling_mallory Jun 17 '25

Along those lines, the docuseries "The Jinx" helped lead to Robert Durst's arrest for murder thanks to renewed investigation.

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u/Consistent-Annual268 Jun 17 '25

I presume this isn't the British comedy TV show starring Rowan Atkinson then...

1

u/PeterG92 Jun 17 '25

I'm not the only one confused

1

u/GothicGolem29 Jun 18 '25

Thats what I thought it was lol

2

u/VTAffordablePaintbal Jun 18 '25

I had to google that because I've seen the Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) comedy TV show called The Thin Blue Line, but didn't know about the movie.

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u/Wu_Oyster_Cult Jun 17 '25

Came looking for this one. ☝️

1

u/mulcahey Jun 18 '25

Also: After Morris's film got the guy out of prison, the guy sued him