Asked Rabenstrange

I was recently asked* “Why do movies portray things so different from what they really are?” Being the ever so indulgent fellow that I am I decided to answer it

So why don't the massive film companies make movies that emulate real life? I think the answer is really fairly obvious. Film companies exist to make money. They might sacrifice the bottom line now and then and produce a stinker to promote their bizarre ideas of social justice but in the end their goal is to be profitable.

Therefore, it follows that film companies for the most promote movies that they feel will entice people to not only choose their picture over other forms of entertainment but also be willing to fork out $6-10 for a ticket. For a movie to be worthwhile people have to see it.

From this we can derive a new question: Why don't people want to see reality?

The obvious answer is that people can see reality anywhere for free. If the viewing public wanted to see teenagers and parents bickering they'd stay home and save $10.

The other answer is that reality for most people is unpleasant. They don't want to see a movie where the protagonist slowly builds up credit card debt until he completely destroys his finances. Watching a teenager slack off in class, fail to get into college and live the rest of her life working for near minimum wage for the rest of her miserable life strikes a little too close to home.

People want to see glamorous people do cool yet impossible things. They want to know that there will be a happy ending. To forget for a few hours, the problems with their own lives and absorb themselves in fictional trials that will be worked out within 2 hrs. That's what people pay to see.

*Actually the question wasn't directed precisely at me. It was posted on a random blog and I decided to use it because they're aren't any cool “Ask Rabenstrange” messages in my inbox.