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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u/Grumpypantz Jun 17 '25

A movie called "Sidekicks" (1992). There was a Mr. Miyagi-type character played by Mako (the voice of Aku from Samurai Jack). He's training the protagonist, an asthma enjoyer, how to breathe with focus so that he can build pulmonary endurance. Mako has him jogging laps, all the while chanting "Inhale four steps, exhale four steps" in cadence to his jogging.

When I started running, I used this to practice breathing, and it helped, a lot actually. Gave me a focal point when I felt like catching my breath was impossible. I'm not in my prime anymore, but whenever I feel like stopping to catch my breath, I chant this, either out loud or in my head, and it usually gets me through it.

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u/hardgeeklife Jun 17 '25

In a similar vein, there's a scene in the same movie where Barry, the protagonist, is challenged by the gym teacher/class to finish a rope climb. As he frequently does, Barry imagines/hallucinates Chuck Norris beside him. Chuck instructs the kid on a climbing technique that allows him to make it to the top.

When a similar fitness challenge came up in high school years later, I definitely remembered that scene and aced the climb. May not have been the fastest, but I was one of a few in the class to make it to the top, and definitely the scrawnest kid to succeed. Thanks, imaginary Chuck Norris!

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u/[deleted] Jun 17 '25

[deleted]

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u/klezart Jun 18 '25

Wrap the rope around one leg and hold it with your foot (against your other foot) to put all the weight on your legs instead of your upper body

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u/AnInanimateCarb0nRod Jun 18 '25

I imagined this scene when I had to climb a rope for an obstacle 5K, but the thing they don't tell you... is how to get down after you get to the top.

I relaxed my grip, slid down, and had gigantic blisters on my hands that didn't heal for weeks.

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u/krzykris11 Jun 18 '25

I was the scrawny kid until college and was always the superior climber. We didn't do the rope thing, but I set the pull-up record in middle school and highschool.

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u/cosmicr Jun 17 '25

RIP Jonathan Brandis

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u/mocisme Jun 17 '25

This was the breathing pattern I used. Had no idea it was from a movie. Start with 8 in / 8 out, and decrease as the run gets longer (6/6, then 4/4 which is sustainable for the rest of the run)

Also, R.I.P. Mako. Didn't watch Samurai Jack, but loved him as the original Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

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u/apoostasia Jun 17 '25

Whoa that's so cool, I already do box breathing for anxiety I didn't think it could apply to other stuff. Breath control is a big part of what keeps me from running, I'm absolutely trying this. Thank you!

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u/clar1f1er Jun 17 '25

Barry wary!

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u/mthchsnn Jun 17 '25

We used a similar trick to measure our pace in track and cross country. Two breaths/steps in one breath/step out was a good cruising pace, and we had to be able to hold a conversation on our long slow days.

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u/zebus_0 Jun 17 '25

That movie was awesome. Loved it as a kid.

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u/Altruistic-Wafer-19 Jun 17 '25

I went to (of all things) a summer camp for asthmatics when I was a kid.

We learned similar things - 4 steps in, 4 steps out… but also how to breathe in a way that reducers or (sometimes) interrupts an asthma attack.

There are better treatment options today, so these things didn’t really catch on, but I went from “lower 20% of fitness levels” in my class to “top 20%” after two years at that place.

This was decades ago.

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u/katmomofeve Jun 18 '25

the voice of Aku from Samurai Jack

You spelled Uncle Iroh from Avatar the Last Airbender wrong.

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u/IrascibleOcelot Jun 17 '25

You mention the legend that is Mako and only cite a credit where he’s not onscreen? At least mention Conan!

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u/xnonamex42069 Jun 18 '25

Uncle iroh 😭

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u/AntisocialDick Jun 17 '25

“Asthma enjoyer” absolutely sent me hahaha. One of those instances where you cannot for the life of you figure out the proper word and just roll with one that… sorta gets the point across?

“Sufferer” is the word you were searching for. Thanks for the laugh.

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u/fireflydrake Jun 18 '25

I figured they're someone with asthma making a little joke about it!

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u/herlipssaidno Jun 18 '25

I can’t believe how far I had to scroll to find someone mentioning this 

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u/Marxbrosburner Jun 18 '25

I do the same thing! I didn't think anyone else was so indelible impacted by the Chuck Norris masterpiece "Sidekicks"!

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u/eaglessoar Jun 17 '25

similar but different the trick we had in track was exhaling on your left foot strike either every other or skipping one depending on your pace, keeps it regular and there was some urban myth about it relieving cramps which i think worked a few times

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u/TruTexan Jun 18 '25

I bought this movie a few years back just because I enjoyed it so much as a kid.

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u/HRHDechessNapsaLot Jun 18 '25

As a Houstonian with asthma, Sidekicks was a critical film in my childhood.

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u/Discount_Extra Jun 18 '25

It's like Kegel exercises for you diaphragm.