Many movies aren’t as wholesome and lighthearted as people assume they are, and watching them closely reveals they can be surprisingly dark. This is especially true when it comes to children’s movies, as animation, comedy and music can gloss over some heavy themes. However, these elements can do the same in more mature movies in some circumstances, and people might forget about some darker moments.
Older movies likeBreakfast at Tiffany’sandThe Breakfast Clubcan hide some darkness behind a glossy veneer of nostalgia. When people think of these classics, they often think about the fashion, the music or the actors. This ignores some distressing topics, like depression, trauma and isolation. Ultimately, it’s best to dispell any assumptions about a movie before judging it fairly, but this isn’t always easy.
Many people will probably rememberThe Breakfast Clubas a nostalgic 1980s classic about unlikely friendships with an anti-authority streak, but John Hughes' movies aren’t necessarily as wholesome as their reputations suggest.The Breakfast Clubhas an R-rating, and although this is partly because of the scene in which the characters do drugs together, the movie has plenty of dark themes.
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As the story progresses, the students thrown together in detention gradually start to open up to one another, and they reveal some troubling realities about their home lives.There are stories of peer pressure, family abuse, depression and even suicidal ideation.The Breakfast Clubmanages to get away with a lot of this heavy subject matter because it still has some charming dialogue and an upbeat resolve.
Zootopiainitially appears to be a lighthearted Disney movie about anthropomorphic animals, and there are plenty of jokes about how different animals can represent different professions and character archetypes. This is merely the set-up, however, andZootopiagoes to some very dark places, using its cute and colorful appearance to make its social commentary more palatable.
Zootopiauses its cute and colorful appearance to make its social commentary more palatable.
Zootopiais a surprisingly relevant examination of xenophobia, racism and other forms of discrimination, with politicians manipulating the population of the city into believing that carnivorous animals are more dangerous than they really are.Zootopia 2is coming in late 2025, and while fans can expect more fun animal-based humor, it’s also likely that there will be intelligent social commentary.
It shouldn’t have been a surprise that a movie about Adolf Hitler and the Nazis is terribly dark, but the trailers and other promotional material forJojo Rabbitsold it as a farce, with a young boy who runs around the German countryside with a silly version of Hitler as his imaginary friend. Taika Waititi’s track record in comedy movies also suggested that he would be taking an unconventional approach.
WhileJojo Rabbitdoes have a playful tone, it also doesn’t shy away from its heavy subject. Waititi’s cartoonish version of Hitler isn’t the true villain of the story, but Jojo still finds evils lurking in every corner of his society, even though he starts out as a starry-eyed fanatic who treats the Hitler Youth like the Boy Scouts. The death of Jojo’s mother is the big turning point, andJojo Rabbit’s humorsuddenly doesn’t seem sufficient to mask the darkness of the real history.
Wes Anderson’s moviesare clearly defined by his idiosyncratic visual style, and his compositions give his stories a picture-book quality at times. This leads some people to wrongly assume that his movies are replete with whimsy and lighthearted fun, but many of them are about surprisingly heavy themes.The Grand Budapest Hotelseems especially playful, with its colorful alpine setting and eccentric characters.
The Grand Budapest Hotel’s quirky charms are crushed under the soulless boot of a repressive political ideology.
The Grand Budapest Hotel’s appearance shouldn’t deceive audiences for too long. Although it starts out as a joyous crime caper, the rise of a fascist regime suddenly springs from the background into the main storyline. Suddenly, all other considerations fall away, andThe Grand Budapest Hotel’s quirky charms are crushed under the soulless boot of a repressive political ideology.
In recent years,Mrs. Doubtfirehas been reevaluated by some people, who have questioned how funny the idea of a man deceiving his ex-wife into spending more time with their children really is. This contemporary reading of the comedy highlights some of the darkness that often goes unnoticed inMrs. Doubtfire.Even with a more generous view of the movie, appreciating it on its own terms, there’s a lot of heavy material that people might not remember.
Daniel thinks that he can breeze past his marriage troubles and the fact that his children are dealing with the divorce of their parents.
Robin Williams delivers one of his funniest performances inMrs. Doubtfire,and this glosses over the fact that his character is an immature and unreliable husband and father who treats life like one big game, leaving his wife to pick up the slack. Younger audiences may see him as the cool parent, but his inability to take responsibility is a serious problem. He thinks that he can breeze past his marriage troubles and the fact that his children are dealing with the divorce of their parents, and this only compounds the issues until he finally learns some maturity, in his own way.
La La Landwas heralded in 2016 as a throwback to the style of classic Hollywood musicals of the 1950s and 1960s. Musical movies haven’t gone anywhere, but the prevailing taste has undoubtedly shifted away from the era of Gene Kelly, Julia Andrews and Judy Garland.La La Landmay adopt the same exuberant visuals as these old classics, but its setting and its tone are decidedly modern.
Unlike earlier musicals, love does not conquer all inLa La Land.
La La Land’s aspirational love story ultimately ends in heartbreak, and it’s the kind of heartbreak which feels rooted in 21st century concerns, as if there’s no room in the modern era for the hopeful and magical musicals of Old Hollywood.La La Land’s endingleaves things on a bittersweet note, as both characters get what they want in their lives, but at the cost of their reckless love for one another. Unlike earlier musicals, love does not conquer all inLa La Land.
Adam Sandler’s comedies are usually popular for their lighthearted humor, and they offer an escape for audiences. They often receive criticism from reviews which suggest they don’t offer anything substantial, even if this doesn’t put off most people.Clickis slightly different. Anyone who hasn’t seen it might assume it’s just as goofy and simplistic as any of Sandler’s other movies, but parts of it wouldn’t feel out of place in a serious drama.
Anyone who hasn’t seen it might assume it’s just as goofy and simplistic as any of Sandler’s other movies.
Clickhas all the broad humor, slapstick and childish gags that Sandler’s other comedies from the same era have, but the story focuses on a man who doesn’t realize that his inaction and complacency are equivalent to allowing his life to pass him by.Clickhas a jarring tonal shift midway through, at which point the story becomes a dark meditation on time and regret. It’s not the most elegant movie, but it’s more thought-provoking than many people give it credit for.
Spirited Awayis often cited as Hayao Miyazaki’s greatest masterpiece, andits colorful, creative characters suggest that it’s a charming fantasy tale. While this is true, it’s also surprisingly dark. Anyone who has seenSpirited Awaywill know that it’s about much more than the magic of soot sprites, Haku and the other spirits in Yubaba’s bathhouse. Chihiro only meets all these creatures in the first place because her parents are transformed into pigs and she’s forced to work for her freedom.
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Spirited Away’s endingis mostly positive, but it’s laced with the melancholy understanding that Chihiro is leaving her new friends behind forever, and that most of them may never escape the bathhouse. There are also some dark allusions to the reality of the spirit world peppered throughout the story, and many of the mysterious characters who cross paths with Chihiro seem to have tragic secrets.
People who haven’t seenBreakfast at Tiffany’swill likely still be able to recognize its opening scene, in which Audrey Hepburn eats a croissant on the street outside Tiffany’s, wearing a black Givenchy dress as dawn breaks over the city. This somewhat melancholic image barely hints at the darkness in store. WhileBreakfast at Tiffany’smay be most famous for its fashion, it’s a story about a woman struggling to deal with her childhood trauma and her bouts of anxiety and depression.
WhileBreakfast at Tiffany’smay be most famous for its fashion, it’s a story about a woman struggling to deal with her childhood trauma.
Audrey Hepburn brings a lot of humor to her portrayal of Holly Golightly, but she also shows that the character’s flighty nature is a response to her troubled past and her inability to cope with her situation.Truman Capote’s novel goes into more detail, and the movie adaptation provides Holly with a happier ending, but it still shows that she married a much older man while still a teenager, and her unusual work puts her in danger. Mickey Rooney’s casting as Mr. Yunioshi is disturbing for completely different reasons.
Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogysatirizes a different movie genre with each entry, andThe World’s Endpokes fun at sci-fi movies. While it has a lot in common withShaun of the DeadandHot Fuzz,it’s even darker than these movies.Shaun of the Dead’s zombie apocalypse andHot Fuzz’s murderous cult feel dark in a pulpy way, butThe World’s Endhas genuine pathos, and its tragic moments don’t feel tied to its sci-fi parody.
The World’s Endfollows a group of friends reuniting for a pub crawl, and their secrets are gradually revealed as the evening wears on.Gary’s alcoholism and isolation are so severe that he feels compelled to continue the night out despite a deadly alien invasion.This character detail is even more disturbing than any of the violent sci-fi action. Just when Wright’s fans thought they knew what to expect, he changed direction with his final movie in the Cornetto trilogy.
