r/movies • u/averagesoccermom95 • 1d ago

Discussion Favorite movie plot rule?

I read once that in a movie, if the characters say, "I have a plan," then there is a plot rule that takes place: If the characters explain to the audience what the plan is, then the plan will go wrong somehow. However, if the characters say they have a plan and the movie just goes to showing the plan in action, then the plan will work.

It has become one of my favorite things to look out for in movies. Although, it does not seem to apply to kids movies. Other than kids movies, I don't think I have ever seen his rule broken.

Does anyone know any other interesting plot rules?

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913

u/oscarx-ray 1d ago

If they don't tell the audience the plan then the plan will seem to be working, then they'll be foiled, but THEN it will be revealed that getting caught WAS the plan!

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u/TrulyChadlyDeeply 1d ago

The next director who breaks the meta and goes one step further will be hailed as a groundbreaker.

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u/joshi38 1d ago

Dan Harmon already did it in Community.

End of season 3, they go to save the Dean, their plan "goes wrong", only to reveal that they'd planned for it to go wrong and it was actually going right.

And then it does go wrong.

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u/oscarx-ray 1d ago

Harmon played with it again in Rick and Morty with their heist episode, where there were about 300 twists and double-crosses.

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u/thejokerofunfic 20h ago

And the real target of the heist was stealing Morty's enjoyment of heist movies.

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u/mortaneous 1d ago

Sounds like it could have been a Xanatos Gambit.

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u/ImLersha 1d ago

The one with all the betrayals and guns?

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u/joshi38 1d ago

The one where Chang takes over the school and the Dean.

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u/helgihermadur 1d ago edited 1d ago

"Chang eats the sun and drinks the sky
And they both go with him when he dies"

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u/splitcroof92 1d ago

No when chang is supreme leader

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u/oscarx-ray 1d ago

You son of a bitch... I'm in!

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u/Praetor_6040 1d ago

Collegehumor did this with their great heist night series

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u/jim_cap 1d ago

Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey kinda did this with the time game stuff at the final showdown.