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I finally found a way to enjoy The Room by watching it with other people
For years I thought The Room was just boring bad, but last month I did a group watch with 5 friends and some pizza. The riffing and laughing at every weird line totally changed how I see it. Has anyone else had a bad movie click for them in a specific setting like that?
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derekward1mo ago
Doesn't that kind of apply to a bunch of stuff in life, not just movies? I mean, I've noticed with my own hobbies (like trying to get into old black and white films) that the setting and who you're with completely changes your experience. It's like when you're at a party and someone puts on a playlist you'd never choose yourself, but because everyone's talking and laughing around it, suddenly you're hearing songs in a whole new way. That's the thing about bad movies (or anything really) - they're not just bad on their own, they're bad in a vacuum. Put them in the right situation with the right people, and that badness turns into entertainment gold.
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Oh man, I read this deep dive thing once about how The Room is basically a perfect party movie because of how earnest it is. It's like the director genuinely thought he was making something profound, and that's what makes it so funny with a crowd. I mean, I tried watching it alone once and turned it off after 20 minutes, but with people yelling at the screen and throwing spoons, it's a whole different experience. Maybe it's just me but I feel like some movies are made for group riffing, not for sitting in silence.
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amy1541mo ago
Yeah but The Room isn't a "bad" movie in the way most people mean it though. It's not like it has bad acting or a bad script that you can just tune out. The thing is, Tommy Wiseau genuinely put his WHOLE heart into every single awkward pause and weird line reading. That's what makes it different from a regular bad movie you'd watch with friends to make fun of. Like I've tried doing that with other cheaply made movies and it just feels mean or boring after a while. But The Room? That movie is a total unicorn because the guy making it had NO IDEA he was making a comedy. That level of pure intention is RARE and that's why it works in a crowd.
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