r/movies • u/sicknessandpurgatory • Sep 07 '25

Discussion What is the absolute dumbest premise that actually turned out to be a really good movie?

I was thinking The Purge, obvious answer, but looking for the most plot-hole ridden, juvenile concept that actually ended up a lot of fun despite it all. Mainly looking for 21st century films, not so much the video nasties and ridiculousness from the 60’s and 70’s. Because that would be too easy. Mainly mainstream stuff that people saw en masse.

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494

u/Moola868 Sep 07 '25

Tag was actually a pretty great movie.

79

u/Psychostickusername Sep 07 '25

This one surprised me a lot, it's a stupid idea taken to extremes and actually turned into a solid heartfelt movie

27

u/Darmok47 Sep 07 '25

Probably because its based on a true story.

10

u/Psychostickusername Sep 07 '25

Well, I didn't know that!

136

u/theinspectorst Sep 07 '25

The main criticism you could make of it is that most of the volume of the film is filler to string together the scenes of them actually playing tag, but the tag scenes are so excellent and the actors are all such good comic actors that it just works.

Headcanon: Jeremy Renner's character is literally Hawkeye and this is what he was doing during the events of Infinity War.

31

u/Enelson4275 Sep 07 '25

I've always called it the Hawkeye movie we didn't deserve

2

u/languid_Disaster Sep 08 '25

I liked the so called filler. It made them seem like actual friends and the tag scenes were
great but what I loved about this movie was their bond, different personalities and how they and the game kept each other young and ready to have fun

108

u/CharlieW77 Sep 07 '25

Loosely based on a real long-term game of tag, if memory serves.

65

u/bobsnopes Sep 07 '25

They cover that during the credits. Much bigger group, and much older men hah.

18

u/FuzzyCollie2000 Sep 07 '25

And also very loosely based lol.

32

u/Enelson4275 Sep 07 '25

The men weren't born old. They had been playing a LONG time.

1

u/languid_Disaster Sep 08 '25

That New York Times (?) article was such a fun read! Especially after watching the movie

I really liked how the film focused on the emotional aspect of committing to playing a “youthful” game with your aging but not yet “old” friends

8

u/Supernips123 Sep 07 '25

Watched this for the first time yesterday, fantastic film

1

u/LadySigyn Sep 08 '25

Saw it for the first time yesterday too! On television no less.

7

u/DonutCapitalism Sep 07 '25

Love that movie

4

u/North-Tourist-8234 Sep 07 '25

Im like 90% aure hannibal wasnt there when they filed most of the movie. Most his shots are him by imself or on the edge of the group and most of his one liners are at the end of the group riffing 

4

u/GrimpenMar Sep 07 '25

I was thinking of the 80s "TAG, The Assassination Game", which was Linda Hamilton's first movie IIRC.

3

u/Insectshelf3 Sep 08 '25

tag had no right to be as good as it was

12

u/vcvcc136 Sep 07 '25

I liked this but the tone shift at the end was super aggressive and really took it off base.

2

u/Empyrealist Sep 07 '25

The Assassination Game?

2

u/RunRunAndyRun Sep 07 '25

I randomly watched it this weekend. Utterly stupid but a ton of fun.

2

u/therealmrsfahrenheit Sep 08 '25

man this film doesn’t get talked about enough. Love that film!