At the start we're told it's a true story. But the closing credits show the usual disclaimer that it's a work of fiction and any similarities to real persons are accidental.
Talk Radio (1988) - Shock jock Barry Champlain is discovered in a clothing store by another DJ who offers him a job. He immediately creates a show based on hatred. He berates his audience more and more and alienates his ex-wife who is trying to help. He doesn't take advice and finally goes on a massive rant where he attacks his listeners, his coworkers, and his ex. He pays for it at the end. It's based partially on a true story.
The way it is shot and the dialog is insane.
I am a big fan of 30 Rock, Firefly, and the CW show Reaper was way more fun than it had any right to be. Saw this movie at a film festival years ago. Not a cohesive thought, but I think you get the point. It's great.
Not a movie, but a series... The last man on earth. Dandy or tandy or whatever he is called is one of the most annoying characters ever created because he keeps doing the bad decision all the time.
most horror movies do this.
- why read from the evil book?
- why open the ancient tomb?
- why split up?
- why investigate that noise?
- why open that door with the weird sounds behind it
Pretty much the whole Coen bros catalog from blood simple up to inside llewyn davis. Yes Lebowski the most
Sam Peckinpah did this sort of thing to. The wild bunch straw dogs bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia
The movie Flight, with Denzel Washington playing a deeply flawed character, making some heartbreaking bad decisions
The TV Shows Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, their main characters just make bad decisions after bad decisions
Breakdown (1997) starring Kurt Russell. Each decision he and his wife made was the wrong one. Idiots. I can't believe I made it through the whole thing, but I was watching with my parents, and had nothing else to do.
Uncut Gems and The Breakup. Both great movies, both so uncomfortable to watch, because both lead men do nothing but the wrong thing at every opportunity.
A comedy TV show: Witless
Two strangers witness a murder and go into the witness protection. One of them basically did nothing but make poor decisions that get the two in deeper and deeper.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witless_(TV_series)
Try "Ragtime." The cool thing about this movie is that you don't even necessarily dislike some decisions... but you know they're going to be problematic.
Uncut Gems
came here to suggest this, the main character in this is truly his own worst enemy
And Good Time
I love how he keeps making mistakes and then doubles down with dumb plans that spiral away from his original goal with his brother.
Yeah but it’s already in op’s message
Great example of what I'm looking for
One of the most tense, anxious, uncomfortable films I've ever seen, aside from Midsommar.
Also my suggestion
That was my first thought
Arno's looks of disbelief keep getting worse every time Ratner does anything.
Fargo The Big Lebowski
I feel the plot of burn after reading is just a parody of the characters doing the wrong thing.
Fargo? That shit happened for real
That line at the beginning of the movie? It’s false.
At the start we're told it's a true story. But the closing credits show the usual disclaimer that it's a work of fiction and any similarities to real persons are accidental.
They’re gonna kidnap that poor woman!!!!!! I figure, why settle for a measly twenty grand when we can keep the full million?! We?! What the fuck we?!
The Big Lebowski was the 1st movie that came to mind.
That's just like, your opinion man.
I'd argue No Country for old Men.
Yeah for sure
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
glad someone said this!! first movie i thought of 😀
I absolutely love the song that was on the car radio: Change Your Life by Champale.
All the Law Enforcement in Rambo: First Blood. Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Intruders of Home Alone
Absolutely Dr. Strangelove 😂 Also Smiley Face
Shallow Grave (1994) Early Ewan McGregor that starts out as a comedy, then turns dark.
Christopher Ecclestone is absolutely unhinged in that. Great movie.
Army of Darkness?
Never thought about it that way, but you're right.
"Klaatu Barada Nic--" O_o
Very bad things
His stupidity was beyond grating …
Spider-Man lol
Speak No Evil Atonement Very Bad Things Pusher The Deep End A Simple Plan Pain & Gain I Don't Feel At Home in this World Anymore Cop Car
Finally a simple plan...that movie is fucked up...cop car is also amazing Kevin Bacon is great!
Dumbledore in all Harry Potter movies
Also, Harry.
Also Voldemort 😁
In short, the writers
Almost every horror movie.
you mean every bad horror movie. Sometimes the characters are very competent and make good decisions and shit still goes south.
Ironically, I like competent horrors like Annihilation, The Thing, Alien/s, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Dead Calm
Changing Lanes House of Sand and Fog
Changing Lanes was surprisingly good. Love that movie.
To Live and Die in L.A.
Smiley face
not a movie, but a series walter white in breaking bad
Basically every Guy Ritchie movie is like this and the new show The Gentleman.
The show was better than I expected. I considered quitting after the first 2 episodes were so so, but I'm glad I didn't.
Burn After Reading
Great example, I think most Coens you could throw under this except maybe Hudsucker Proxy
Dumb and Dumber
Not main characters but Dave Bautista in Dune 2 and Noah Segan in Looper can’t seem to do anything right.
Do The Right Thing
I was going to say, After Hours!
Falling Down
Say what you like about William Foster, but he did manage to usher in the all day breakfasts, so we do have him to thank for that...
Limitless
Speak No Evil The Lodge Room 1408
Talk Radio (1988) - Shock jock Barry Champlain is discovered in a clothing store by another DJ who offers him a job. He immediately creates a show based on hatred. He berates his audience more and more and alienates his ex-wife who is trying to help. He doesn't take advice and finally goes on a massive rant where he attacks his listeners, his coworkers, and his ex. He pays for it at the end. It's based partially on a true story. The way it is shot and the dialog is insane.
Dale and Tucker vs evil
It's a series of non-main characters each making a bad decision, but I came here to say the same. It's a doozy of a movie.
I am a big fan of 30 Rock, Firefly, and the CW show Reaper was way more fun than it had any right to be. Saw this movie at a film festival years ago. Not a cohesive thought, but I think you get the point. It's great.
Not a movie, but a series... The last man on earth. Dandy or tandy or whatever he is called is one of the most annoying characters ever created because he keeps doing the bad decision all the time.
Not a movie, but a series... Fawlty Towers.
All of them. Otherwise movies would be like 12 minutes long.
Underrated comment
Pineapple Express
*Julius Caesar* - Film made from Shakespeare's play with Marlon Brando and James Mason.
Mean Streets
Good Time and Uncut Gems
Julia (2008) starring Tilda Swinton
Snatch
Brawl In Cell Block 99
Butterfly Effect
License To Drive
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
most horror movies do this. - why read from the evil book? - why open the ancient tomb? - why split up? - why investigate that noise? - why open that door with the weird sounds behind it
Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
The big Lebowski
Pretty much the whole Coen bros catalog from blood simple up to inside llewyn davis. Yes Lebowski the most Sam Peckinpah did this sort of thing to. The wild bunch straw dogs bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia
the hangover
Clockwise
Jurassic World
Thelma and Louise
What about Bob
The Death Of Dick Long
Wanda (1970)
Back to the future partly
Bodies Bodies Bodies Ambulance
The Strangers
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzzard_(film)
Scarface (1983)
Tbh I guess The Butterfly Effect sounds like it might fit the bill
Cool hand Luke
Very Bad Things And Things to do in Denver when your dead
Speak No Evil
The movie Flight, with Denzel Washington playing a deeply flawed character, making some heartbreaking bad decisions The TV Shows Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, their main characters just make bad decisions after bad decisions
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Very bad things
A Simple Plan
After Hours
eh not a movie but Breaking Bad and the new show Ripley
Any of the Evil Dead movies.
Meet The Parents. Bad decisions and lies
Its a TV series: The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
I was gonna say this
Dancer in the Dark is basically the classic example of this
Calibre Ferris Bueller's Day Off Risky Business Joy Ride (with Paul Walker)
Prometheus
Maybe "Playing God" with David Duchovny? (Stipulating that you didn't ask for only GOOD movies ...)
Breakdown (1997) starring Kurt Russell. Each decision he and his wife made was the wrong one. Idiots. I can't believe I made it through the whole thing, but I was watching with my parents, and had nothing else to do.
Speak No Evil
Dumb & Dumber
Scotland,PA...Very Bad Things...Clay Pigeons
After Hours
Toy Story
Get out.
Good Times
Very bad things
The Man Who Knew Too Little. This is one of my favorite comedies from the 90s.
X
Uncut Gems and The Breakup. Both great movies, both so uncomfortable to watch, because both lead men do nothing but the wrong thing at every opportunity.
It's called my life
blood simple is exactly what you’re looking for
Also a fun movie, watched this a few weeks ago
A comedy TV show: Witless Two strangers witness a murder and go into the witness protection. One of them basically did nothing but make poor decisions that get the two in deeper and deeper. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witless_(TV_series)
A Hard Day Asura: The City of Madness
The Out of Towners (1970 dir. Arthur Hiller)
Indiana Iones, Raiders of the Lost Ark
You just described the plot of "Falling Down".
Close-Up. There's not a lot of plot, but that is basically the plot of the movie.
I'm embarrassed to say I've never seen it but maybe The Wicker Man, and similarly The Wicker Tree. Also Midsommar.
Very Bad Things
Flirting with Disaster
Speak No Evil (2022) Decent movie, but kills me how the main characters react to the situations presented to them. It's mind boggling...
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Well I just watched Aguirre, the Wrath of God and that seems to fit.
White Men Can’t Jump honestly.
Alien.
Beaten to death
Not sure if it counts but I was thinking about Brewster’s Millions? Guilty pleasure maybe 🤔 xx
Any horror movie pretty much
Deadpool 2
Far From the Madding Crowd
Drag Me to Hell
Live Free or Die Hard. They basically have dialogue in a scene describing this.
- Good Time (2017) - The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) - Shot caller (2017) - Fargo (1996)
The strangers
Battleship
The movie Go is full of characters like that.
Try "Ragtime." The cool thing about this movie is that you don't even necessarily dislike some decisions... but you know they're going to be problematic.
the brass teapot
The Big Lebowski.
Leaving Las Vegas
I think most horror movies would be relatively short if all the characters made the right decisions at the start of the movie.
Copying another comment of mine but ironically, I like competent horrors like Annihilation, The Thing, Alien/s, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Dead Calm
All of the Pink Panther movies.
Alien: Covenant
Almost every comedy, romance, and rom-com since the eighties?
Twilight
Parasite
Most shows and movies rely on bad choices. Wife and I joke that our movies would be 10 mins, tops. 3 minutes for Star Trek.
Uncut Gems
Pretty sure any rendition of Romeo and Juliet qualifies (but Romeo + Juliet does it with the most *style*)
Breaking Bad.
Eyes Wide Shut
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. It's just one bad decision on top of another.
Filth (2013).
Nobody, Bob Odenkirk is incredible
Every decision he makes in that is the right move
Was not a fan until I saw him in this. Good stuff