10 Annoying Ways Movies Always Get Real Life Wrong

3. Drinking From Cups That Are Clearly Empty

Amelie 2001
UGC-Fox Distribution

Just like actually eating during takes, you can't blame actors for not wanting to be constantly drinking liquids in scenes that call for characters to be supping coffee or necking pints. However, it's crazy that in over one hundred years, filmmakers haven't come up with a way to make audiences believe that there's actually anything in an actor's cup.

They constantly break the illusion, whether it's by showing a high-angle shot of an obviously-empty glass or the cringe that follows an actor pretending to swallow the air they've supposedly just drank, movies just can't seem to make drinking from cups the least bit convincing.

Likewise, even when a cup has a lid on, the weight of the container, and the way actors move with them in their hands, is a clear indicator that nothing is inside. Even if that awkward bit of acting could be ignored, the cardboard, hollow thud that happens every single time they put their "drink" down acts as a constant reminder that movies are a lie and nothing is real.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.