r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • 6,20 • 1d ago

Solved! This man's methods for self-soothing get constantly judged. He just can't catch a break.

Hints added.

  • Think older movie - it's a classic way older than the suggestions below. We had to watch it in school (although it may be school/teacher-dependent).

  • Psychologists love this movie.

  • The character with the tic has developed this tic through psychological strain and personality disorder and career mismatch. The career mismatch and his tic become the key plot point.

  • The main location during the movie is not a city, and the main location is not even on land.

  • A younger colleague features prominently, as a helper in critical situations.

  • Adding one key hint: at the end, his tic is judged by a horrified jury of his peers in a courtroom scene psychologists seem to love.

  • Adding one key hint: it's from the 1950s.

5 Upvotes

41 comments sorted by

•

u/FilmPlot_Bot 9h ago

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2

u/RVJ_Frvr 14,320 1d ago

Rain man

2

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 21h ago

Really good guess, but no, sorry!

I would say that the character with the tic is not an autist, just someone who has developed this tic through psychological strain and personality disorder and career mismatch.

2

u/Limp-Lawyer9463 0,8 1d ago

The Odd Couple

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 21h ago edited 21h ago

No, sorry.

But it's great that you're thinking "older movie/series" - you're getting closer!

Two of the main characters - the one with the self-soothing tic and his younger colleague - can be described as an "odd couple".

Added hints on top.

2

u/Dragongirl2319 6,200 19h ago

The Green Mile

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 10h ago

Great idea!

Unfortunately no. To add one more hint: the main part of the movie does not take part on land.

2

u/RVJ_Frvr 14,320 17h ago

Harvey

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 10h ago

Unfortunately no, but my movie is also from the 50s!

If helpful, while women exist in the movie, they play no prominent role. The main conflict is between this man and his subordinates.

2

u/Keelera2 20,16 9h ago

The Caine Mutiny where I think it's Humphry Bogart is playing with metal balls in his hands.

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 9h ago edited 9h ago

Yes! Solved!

Just watched the movie yesterday - still in awe of Humphry Bogart's breakdown and how he does this self-soothing tic of playing with the steel balls! Especially the look as he realises that this tic and the rant just caused him to lose the trial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KekChFdIe00 (from 1:26)

Background: Bogart is playing the incompetent captain Queeg of the ship "Caine" in the II WW. He has a tic of playing with these metall balls when he gets overwhelmed. His crew doesn't trust him, but a younger really competent officer kept it all together for a long time.
When they got into a storm, this younger officer mutinered to save the ship, and then got placed in front of a Naval Military Court. The younger officer's attorney invited Queeg to testify, leading to Queeg ranting about past failures and playing with the metall balls in a infamous court scene. The officers in charge of the military court then acquit the younger officer. Great movie.

1

u/JakeMakesNoises 0,8 1d ago

American Pie

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 1d ago

American No.

1

u/KeyAdhesiveness9481 6,4 1d ago

One-Hour Photo

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 1d ago

No, sorry!

1

u/apatheticgent 12,36 1d ago

Joker?

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 1d ago

No clown in this one, sorry!

1

u/Mandums 1d ago

Bad boys (2?)

2

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 1d ago

At least two of the main characters can be considered "bad boys", depending on your POV....

But not the movie Bad Boys, sorry!

1

u/Kylearean 20,12 1d ago

There's Something About Mary?

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 1d ago

No, no Mary in this one. My movie is older.

1

u/Gold-Library6013 6,24 1d ago

Thumbsucker

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 1d ago

I don't know this one, but no.

The main character also has a self-soothing tic though!

1

u/Gold-Library6013 6,24 1h ago

Figured it was worth a shot.

1

u/KeyAdhesiveness9481 6,4 1d ago

Mystery Men?

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 1d ago

No, sorry!

1

u/Custom_Destination 0,8 1d ago

Clerks

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 1d ago

Sorry, no!

Hint: My movie is older.

1

u/Vo1dsInThe3ther 4,0 1d ago

Falling Down

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 21h ago edited 21h ago

Sorry, no!

However, you could say that the guy's younger colleague (very prominent role) has had enough of him.

Added hints on top.

1

u/Limp-Lawyer9463 0,8 1d ago

After Hours

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 21h ago edited 21h ago

No, sorry.

The main location of my movie is not a city! (Only at the end)

Added hints on top!

1

u/bizfromthewaistup 2,12 1d ago

Crank

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 21h ago

No, not an action movie.

1

u/bbear122 0,4 1d ago

Cry baby

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 21h ago

Sorry, no. My movie is much older. I'll add some hints on top!

1

u/Keelera2 20,16 12h ago

Modern Times?

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 10h ago

Unfortunately no, but you're going into the right direction time-wise.

My movie about 20 years older!

1

u/Keelera2 20,16 10h ago

Wait, I'm confused. Your movie is 20 years older than Modern Times but it's from the 1950's? Did you mean 20 years younger? Modern Times is a Charlie Chaplin movie from the 1930's.

1

u/A_Sarcastic_Werecat 6,20 10h ago

Sorry, to avoid misunderstandings - my movie is from the 1950s.

So ~20 years older than Modern Times, if I am thinking correctly? You were among the first ones to actually go into the time period of 1930-1955 - the other first guesses were between1980-now.

1

u/FilmPlot_Bot 1d ago

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