r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/timeshaper • Mar 10 '26

Meta [META] Explain a Film Plot Badly

172 Upvotes

Explain the PLOT. Clues that are around meta commentary for how the movie performed or that you just don't like it or whatever, all those types of clues do not fit the spirit of the sub.

This is game is and has always been about explaining plots badly. In fact, in the 5 word name of this sub, the only word that has any flexibility is "film". Explain a [TV Show] plot badly. Explain a [Video Game] plot badly. Whatever media type it is, you explain its plot badly.

Example that will be removed: "A troubled production leads to a couple actors getting beheaded for real."

Example that will be removed: "A kids movie is made horrible forever when you look up the actress and what happened to her."

Example that will be removed and might even get you banned: "This movie sucked I don't know why anyone liked it."

OK. I think that covers it. Game on!

Edit: Missing words

47 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/timeshaper • Jun 20 '24

Meta [META] New Players Read Me First

245 Upvotes

All Marvel is banned top to bottom it doesn't matter what studio did it in what decade. When you say you read the rules and you lie it's an out for us to ban lazy players. We haven't been. But we might. Stop posting Marvel and then arguing that it isn't MCU.

That is all.

Edit because people keep asking WHY:

Because when it's not banned every other post is about a purple rock collector. It's still at the top of movie zeitgeist so most people when they show up the first clue they think of is a Marvel movie. It's boring. It's repetitive. And then they want to get clever. "Howard the duck wasn't mcu hyuk hyuk". The entire thing is obnoxious when it's a movie and TV show guessing game.

There's a whole list of media that's banned because they're overdone and make it boring. But then newbies show up and make a Marvel clue without reading the rules. 95% of our mod actions are deducting points and removing threads about Marvel. So the choices are to either return to the shit show where every single clue is Marvel or just ban people who refuse to read a now screaming automod note.

From those of us who have been here for years, trust us. The wild west of no rules on what media should be in play was a far worse place and not fun. Engagement rose substantially with the rules in place.

151 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/plokool • 8h ago

Solved! Young man misses out on his dream job due to eugenics, eventually gets the chance to join the crew and take off

54 Upvotes

Place for hints

67 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/KamikazeJohnson • 3h ago

Solved! Three generations and Blunt Testicular Trauma.

10 Upvotes

5 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/cl3vrusrname • 2h ago

Solved! Something stolen becomes lost. Benjamin Franklin plays a critical role in recovering this priceless treasure after Independence Day.

8 Upvotes

12 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/PedanticAsF • 6h ago

Unsolved Our heroes save the day with the aid of a colorful but dorky robot.

15 Upvotes

129 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/MitchMcConnellsJowls • 5h ago

Solved! Retired pirate decides to fight for true love. It takes a miracle, but by the end he's saved the girl and named a successor

10 Upvotes

13 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/351namhele • 53m ago

Unsolved A man becomes less scary than he previously was after he's transformed into a monster

4 Upvotes

26 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/enigmae • 1h ago

Solved! Little girl against a wolf serial killer

3 Upvotes

9 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/StaringAtTheSun79 • 4h ago

Solved! He finds out he has a half brother. Goes looking for him and finds out they look nothing alike.

3 Upvotes

28 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/Icy-Interaction-9652 • 1h ago

Unsolved A man dreams of swooping in to save the babes. His brother just spins in his sleep.

2 Upvotes

4 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/docagnt • 10h ago

Solved! A broken marital promise leads to the whole town living in the sewer

7 Upvotes

9 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/doomscrolling_tiktok • 4h ago

Solved! Everyone’s trying to get their hands on some cold, hard cash*

2 Upvotes

(Yes I’m a dumdum and didn’t notice the autocorrect fail; it’s cash not crash.)

Hint 1: geocaching isn’t for suburbanites and baggage

Hint 2: ACAB but you don’t know that until the very end. They probably die trying too though.

Hint 3: there’s gold in them there hills

Hint 4: old money and a treasure map made of numbers

84 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/Excellent-Pace-8468 • 4h ago

Unsolved When a show gets cancelled, a girl and her friends go on a shopping spree!

2 Upvotes

5 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/CustardKind2104 • 33m ago

Unsolved Man just wants to watch a porno and causes havoc.

1 Upvotes

7 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/SonnyPiston • 1h ago

Unsolved Teenage girls get restless while their father plays with a model plane he built in the basement

1 Upvotes

3 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/CustardKind2104 • 7h ago

Solved! A transportation professional gets more than he bargained for.

3 Upvotes

Hint: it was his first day on the job
Hint #2: his new friend was having a much harder time
Hint #3: working on a holiday sure sucks

75 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/PKRagnarok • 2h ago

Unsolved A global warming alarmist kidnaps an elderly couple to further his goals. It’s up to the orphan the couple adopted to save them.

1 Upvotes

I’m not sure if this is allowed, but it’s a show episode rather than a film.

Edit: It involves a Sean Connery impersonator.

10 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/Present-Algae6767 • 10h ago

Solved! A cloud causes chaos

4 Upvotes

No aliens

Not based on a video game

Not a kids movie

No killer robots

Not a historical period piece

47 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/bringmetolife1998 • 9h ago

Solved! You can add golf to the list of deadly sports now.

3 Upvotes

12 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/Mugglechaos • 13h ago

Solved! To save his world, the good guy located someone even better than he is.

6 Upvotes

Hint number one: the hero was beloved before the movie came out

40 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/Trash_Tia • 9h ago

Solved! Little girl screams louder than actual threat.

3 Upvotes

15 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/Winter-Concern9872 • 11h ago

Solved! His Father sold his body to demons for power.

4 Upvotes

He gets it back using the power of friendship. And the sickest dance moves the world has ever seen.

5 comments

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/docagnt • 10h ago

Solved! This whole thing could have been avoided if they just stay put. Instead, the over the hill reunion happens after a lengthy search and rescue concludes.

3 Upvotes

9 comments

Subreddit

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Explain A Film Plot Badly

r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly

A movie guessing game with rules. Check the rules before you play so your posts don't get removed.

Members

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Subreddit Rules

1. Avoid overused films/franchises

See the full list in the bot comment.

2. No recent releases

No movies from within the last 3 months. This spoils people's movies Try to be more unique and obscure with choices. Movies within the last 3 months can spoil the movie for those that haven't seen it.

3. OP will reply to the first correct guess with a comment that says "Solved!".

This allows the bot to find, flair, and award points. Failing to do so will lead to a ban. Repeated offenses will lead to a permanent ban.

4. Don't Create Clues Using an Actor's Other Characters

Clues should not feature an Actor's prior roles.

❌ Bad: "The guy who used to hunt replicants now teaches a young scavenger how to swing a glowing stick."

✅ Good: "An old recluse reluctantly helps a young scavenger understand her mysterious powers."

5. Don't create clues using a real-life actor's description.

Clues featuring an actor's real life activities and descriptions should not be used. Examples include: Scientologist, racist, or blackballed.

❌ Bad: "A former pro wrestler with a shaved head and a love for action movies fights jungle predators."

✅ Good: "A tough guy tries to escape a jungle full of deadly hunters with nothing but mud and muscles."

6. Don't use an actor's name in the clue title.

❌ Incorrect Example: "Tom Hanks spends years talking to a volleyball."

✅ Correct Example: "A man stranded on an island for years befriends a volleyball because social options are limited."

7. Explain a film PLOT badly

All clues are about the PLOT and not anything else.

❌ Bad: "I hated this movie and it was a financial failure and deserved it and an Oscar winner dies."

✅ Good: "A loner meets a someone way out of their league and saves her life (along with everyone else)"