10 Simple Things Actors Can’t Make Look Convincing

CPR must be administered on a person in cardiac arrest to keep the blood flowing to the heart and brain. Since this life-saving technique looks intense, it's a great way to ramp up drama in a scene.

Now, it's no surprise CPR is simplified in fiction, especially since the process takes over half an hour. However, it's astonishing how little the filmmakers research CPR, especially when it's portrayed in a medical drama.

The simplest mistake that most actors make is how gentle they are with chest compressions. The administrator needs to violently push their hands down, often to the point where it breaks the patient's ribs. It sounds horrible, but massaging the chest tenderly does squat.

Also, the compressions and mouth-to-mouth doesn't just require force, but precision. Unless two breaths are executed after every 30 compressions, it won't work. Most depictions show the person giving mouth-to-mouth and compressions at irregular intervals.

Bizarrely, one of the most accurate portrayals of CPR occurs in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Despite the show's fantasy storyline, the scene depicting Buffy trying to resuscitate her deceased mother is extremely realistic.

Although the procedure fails, Buffy couldn't have done more. Not only did she call an emergency line to walk her through the procedure, she administered two breaths at a time, and performed chest compressions until the ribs cracked.

Even though the beloved vampire series isn't known for its realism, the way the CPR is represented here is spot-on.