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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to watch a (loud) action film in my own house?

77 replies

Sunnyseadays · 25/09/2019 20:52

Neighbour just came over and complained that my film is too loud! It's an action film I was watching with my boys, one is ill and it was a treat. I do find it annoying that in action films the dialogue is usually quiet and mumbly so you have to turn it up to hear what they're saying, then the music and action sequences are loud and crashy.

But I was very surprised to get a knock from my neighbour. He didn't even ask nicely if I could turn it down, he didn't even say hello (or goodbye) just stood there complaining about how loud it was.

AIBU to watch that type of film in a semi detached house? Or is he being U for coming to complain and not even managing to be polite about it?

OP posts:
AgentProvocateur · 25/09/2019 20:55

YABU to have the volume so high that the neighbours can hear it. Particularly if you have surround sound booming.

PennyGold · 25/09/2019 20:59

YABU. You've admitted that you had to turn it up to hear the dialogue and then it's blasting when it's "loud and crash". If you've got the sense to turn it up when you can't hear it, have the sense to turn it down during the loud scenes.
It'd be really annoying when you're next door.

SamBeckett · 25/09/2019 21:01

I agree that in some films they whisper , esp when creeping up on the bad guy then BOOM all hell lets lose !
Perhaps you could keep the remote close to hand so you can turn it down a bit when it gets noisy .
But your neighbour should of been polite and asked nicely.

If you have a compatible tv perhaps you could invest is some blue tooth headphones , I love mine for listening to music but they would be fine if I had a tv too I think .

AfterSchoolWorry · 25/09/2019 21:02

Yabu

The noise from those films is deafening. 😱

MolyHolyGuacamole · 25/09/2019 21:03

Do you live in terraced housing or a flat? If so then YABU, you should know better.

Do you live in a detached house? If so then YABU, shouldn't be loud enough to drift through your walls, the air and then the neighbour's walls

PancakeAndKeith · 25/09/2019 21:03

If you were watching something that loud that someone complained then it was too loud.
You are being unreasonable.

Likethebattle · 25/09/2019 21:11

@MolyHolyGuacamole did you read the OP she said she lives in a semi-detached home. Why does no one read the OP?

Original poster
Sunnyseadays · 25/09/2019 21:14

Ah ok.

I personally didn't feel it was that loud otherwise I would have turned it down. I was just trying to describe the type of film when I say that it was 'loud and crashy' in between the dialogue. As in it's not a romantic comedy or conversation piece. I get tinnitus when things are too loud so it was in my opinion a normal volume for my own home - but the style of film is annoying as it keeps going quiet then loud so to make it overall listenable you have to have it up a bit louder than normal TV.

Do you lot just not watch action films at home then?

Headphones not great for watching a film with the kids!

OP posts:
Teagoanngoanngoann · 25/09/2019 21:20

I change the settings on the tv for these films. There are preset settings on the volume setting in the tv settings. Usually sports surround music etc. If you choose the voice setting or similar it will increase the vocals and reduce the crashing background noise. Hope this helps everyone enjoy the next movie Wink

GladAllOver · 25/09/2019 21:20

You were BU for having it so loud.
He was BU for being so abrupt.
HTH.

user1493413286 · 25/09/2019 21:20

I’m going to go against the grain and say I think your neighbour was unreasonable; it’s before 9pm so you could reasonably have music on just as loud.
I wouldn’t complain to my neighbours until past 11pm about any noise even if I’m privately annoyed.
I’ve lived in flats and semi detached houses for the last 10 years and you just have to put up with a certain amount of noise.

Bouffalant · 25/09/2019 21:21

If a neighbor can hear it from a detached house then it's far too loud! How loud is it?

We watch loads of action films but nothing turned up so loud you'd be able to hear on the other side of the house even.

Iggly · 25/09/2019 21:22

Yabu! The sound really travels.

You can change the settings on the tv or you can just turn it down when it gets all actiony

user764329056 · 25/09/2019 21:23

These type of films are so annoying, I end up spending the entire time adjusting the volume, music and action parts always way too booming and when anyone is speaking you can hardly hear them

chemicalelephant · 25/09/2019 21:24

YANBU unless you were watching it after 11pm, which you weren't.

DisplayPurposesOnly · 25/09/2019 21:24

in action films the dialogue is usually quiet and mumbly so you have to turn it up to hear what they're saying, then the music and action sequences are loud and crashy

Put the subtitles on then.

hagsrus0 · 25/09/2019 21:24

Turn on closed captions / subtitles? Yes, they can be pretty dire but better than nothing. ("No potpourri" for "No popery" stiks in my memory!)

StCharlotte · 25/09/2019 21:25

so it was in my opinion a normal volume for my own home

Well it obviously wasn't if your neighbour could hear it.

hagsrus0 · 25/09/2019 21:25

*sticks

bluebeck · 25/09/2019 21:27

If your neighbour could hear it then clearly it is way too loud.

Subtitles are the way to go.

Fraggling · 25/09/2019 21:28

There is stuff like, is your telly up against party wall or away. If against wall, they might be getting the bassier stuff transmitted through ie explosions etc.

Totally agree about films these days why is dialogue so quiet compared to action ? We are turning it up and down as well. Got a sonos thingy which helps as has a night setting and a dialogue setting that turns up the chat and muffles the booms...

Do you generally get on with neighbour? Maybe he was having a shit day or had aheadache or something. Maybe he's an arsehole. Hard to say.

Yes he should have been polite but also it may have been noisier than you imagine.

MrsA2015 · 25/09/2019 21:29

After listening to my neighbors for two years subject me to music, tv and NON STOP NURSERY RHYMES round the clock may I say a big DONT BE SO DAMNSELFISH you for even THINKING you’re not in the wrong. Selfish especially since it’s evening nobody wants to listen to rumbles and explosions coming from a poxy film ffs

Fraggling · 25/09/2019 21:30

I agree with user that you put up with a certain amount of noise from neighbours.

Idea that op should just use subtitles is way ott!

MolyHolyGuacamole · 25/09/2019 21:32

@Likethebattle I'm sorry 😂 I did read it but by the time I was replying I forgot (clearly) and the functionality of MN doesn't really support seeing the OP while replying Confused I stand corrected

WarshipWarrior · 25/09/2019 21:32

Mumsnet is so weird. YANBU at all unless it happens all day every day.they are twats for being rude and for even complaining unless its past 11pm at night or they have a good reason. How would they behave if you had a party etc! Totally reasonable to have the odd loud film on every now and then. Idiots. Ignore people being ridiculous on here OP. Subtitles and headphones?! Wtf!