8 Things That Don't Look Anything Like They Do In Movies

2. Cancer Isn't Cute

In Movieland, The Big C has been transformed from a complex and diverse array of serious diseases into a handy plot device that is at once convenient, requires little explanation and is (dare I say it?) even sexy.

Cancer, in the minds of moviemakers, is a great way to get a plot moving and stir up automatic sympathy for the main character. It is ideal in that it's not "icky" like so many other deadly diseases, at least not the way they depict it. When people in films are diagnosed with cancer, more often than not, it seems to give them a miraculous lust for life (lookin' at you, The Bucket List). They go off on crazy adventures or decide to cook up crystal meth in their pants and are generally filled with a vitality that is not usually associated with chronic illnesses.

In reality, cancer and its treatment are pretty tedious and even more draining. There'll be hours of waiting rooms, operations, treatments and check-ups, all interspersed by lying on the sofa because that's literally all you have the strength for. What's more, people with cancer don't just get a free holiday pass, you've still gotta pay your bills and go to work.

Movie cancer is also totally binary, depending on whether it's a feel-good or sad movie, you either make a complete recovery or you die. The reality, however, is that lots of people survive cancer, but even after being given the "all clear" it's kind of a lifelong deal. What's more, it's not pretty. Treatment can involve getting parts cut off, radiotherapy causes terrible burns, swelling and blistering, chemo is literally filling your body with poison and the effects of this can last a lifetime.