# Movies with twist endings and people who ruin them **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2000, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272 "2000-12-13T01:25:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GRJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d07c76/32.png) [@GRJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GRJ)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2000, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272/21 "2000-12-14T19:40:21Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by betenoir in reference to Magnolia_ > \*\* > And obviously you can’t get that the second time. Or if you’re waiting for it. (Althought if you heard about this and you haven’t seen it, see it anyway. I mean there are three (!) other good hours in it.) \*\* I’ve only seen Magnolia once, but I’m sure that next time I see it I will still laugh as much when I see the silhouettes falling down the curtains. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2000, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272/22 "2000-12-14T19:52:06Z")
I heard the twist for the Sixth Sense on the radio before I saw it, and tho I was sorry it wouldn’t be surprised, I did enjoy watching to see how well it was set up - I wasn’t disappointed. Luckily, no one spoiled No Way Out for me… hubby and I sat in the theater predicting the ending to one another, and we were both wrong… it was great! and I try not to spoil for others… either with movies or with books. “Did you get to the part where he kills the puppy yet?” AAAAAAUUUGH!!! ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2000, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272/23 "2000-12-14T19:56:49Z")
I watched The Usual Suspects on video at my boyfriend’s bequest. He told me that I’d be blown away by the ending. Uh, NO. Saw it coming from the first. I mean, duh. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2000, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272/24 "2000-12-14T20:00:37Z")
I saw _The Crying Game_ right after it came out in the theatres, and thought it would be just another IRA movie. When I saw that penis, I nearly fell out of my chair. And don’t be discouraged if you haven’t seen it, see it anyway, it’s worth it. You may still not believe that Jaye Davidson is a man. I saw _Sixth Sense_ on video, and hadn’t heard anything about it (miracle), so I was totally surprized by the ending (I never figure out twists early, on my own). Sometimes, a film is done so well that even if you know how it ends, it still works. No, not _Titanic_. I mean _Apollo 13_. I knew exactly what had happened and how it was going to turn out. I even knew some inside stuff (Jack Swigert’s sister was a client of mine). But I was still on the edge of my seat. Love Ron Howard. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2000, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272/25 "2000-12-14T20:34:43Z")
I had Fight Club sort of ruined for me. My roommates had seen it the week before, and rented it the next week for all of us to watch. They were extremely excited, saying that the ending was amazing, but they weren’t going to say what it was. But everytime there was a subliminal shot of Brad Pitt in the beginning, they would lean real close and compare notes. So I say, “So, Brad Pitt is actually Edward Norton? Thanks for ruining it.” To which they would defend themselves by saying they never said anything. No, you didn’t say anything, but you completely give away very subtle points that vaguely piece together later. Thanks a lot. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272/26 "2000-12-14T21:02:05Z")
I was at the video store behind some guy who was **buying** the entire PBS series on “the Civil War”, as he left I whispered to the clerk “don’t tell him how it ends.” Anyhow, didn’t appreciate the folks who told the ending to Basic Instinct, either. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2000, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272/27 "2000-12-14T21:46:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mofo Rising \* > \*\* > I still think the point is valid however. Surprises are surprises, not meant to be know about beforehand. Quite a few movies are made so that you don’t know what is going to happen, but then the PR deparment goes ahead and ruins it for you. Sixth Sense for example. Never mind that Bruce Willis is dead, it shouldn’t have even been let out that the kid is seeing dead people. How else do you explain the first hour of the movie? It all builds up to a revelation that the audience already knows. (Yes, I am aware that if they hadn’t let that out nobody would have watched the movie.) But a less obvious movie, Terminator 2. The first 30 minutes is setup so that you think Robert Patrick is the good guy and Schwarzenegger is the bad guy. > \*\* I read some article about _The Truman Show_ where someone involved in the making of the film was going on about how proud they were of the beginning, where at first it seems like Truman is just this regular guy but slowly it becomes obvious that something funny is going on. Well, duh. Everyone in the audience knew that the guy’s life was a TV show, that’s the whole premise of the movie! ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272/28 "2000-12-15T10:08:05Z")
The worst is when people start prattling on about a movie’s “surprise ending” right in front of you, then turn to you and ask what you thought about it. The conversation usually goes something like this (this is exactly how I found out about the ending to the movie): THEM: So, what did you think about the ending of Sixth Sense, with Bruce Willis turning out to be dead and all? ME: Well, I haven’t seen Sixth Sense yet, and had managed to keep myself from finding out the ending until now. THEM: What?!?!? Why didn’t you say something?!? Why haven’t you seen it before now?!? …etc. etc., as if it’s my fault I hadn’t seen the flick. Ah, well, I never get around to doing anything, so I guess it doesn’t matter in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272/29 "2000-12-15T18:59:50Z")
I usually figure out the twist ending before they happen, with two notable exceptions: Primal Fear (I just didn’t see it coming) The Usual Suspects [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-twist-endings-and-people-who-ruin-them/45272.md?page=1)