# Movies in which nothing happens

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-nothing-happens/1031513>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** movies\
**Created:** [July 8, 2026, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-nothing-happens/1031513 "2026-07-08T16:37:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-nothing-happens/1031513/81 "2026-07-11T20:20:59Z")

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> [@Paintcharge](#):
>
> **Smoke** and its sequel **Blue in the Face** don’t have a lot of stuff happening.

Like Life is Sweet above, there is a thin bit of plot threaded through Smoke. Blue in the Face though I agree is more a pure exercise in vignettes.

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**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-nothing-happens/1031513/82 "2026-07-12T00:02:02Z")

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How about _Clerks_, Kevin Smith’s original indie movie? It was low budget - he shot it in black and white to save costs - and almost entirely dialogue driven.

Perhaps the only “action” is a hockey game that mostly occurs off screen.

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**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-nothing-happens/1031513/83 "2026-07-14T15:28:23Z")

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I’m going to suggest _Ella McCay_ (2025). But I have to disclose that I only watched about half of it. It was suggested to me as a pleasant dramedy. I had to stop and go watch paint dry instead. I DID read a couple summaries of the plot afterwards and it looks like I didn’t miss much.

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**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-nothing-happens/1031513/84 "2026-07-15T14:54:11Z")

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Not much of note happens in **Garden State** , although I suppose there’s a sort of romance theme.

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