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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Things that look good in the movies but are probably shit IRL…

326 replies

Arlanymor · 12/10/2025 18:49

I used to be SO envious of Catherine Zeta Jones’ bedroom in Splitting Heirs (remember that film?! It was awful, a failed attempt at farce). She had a narrow swimming pool that went around her bedroom and I used to think: “Wow - it would be so amazing to have a swim first thing in the morning and set yourself up for the day.” In reality, I bed the bedroom stunk of chlorine, it was probably a never-ending journey to keep heated and you’d probably only use it for a week and then get bored of the novelty… what else looks good in the movies but in reality probably just sucks?

OP posts:
HRTQueen · 09/04/2026 00:41

Children with containable excitement at theme parks smiling and laughing throughout their time there

reality tears at some point, moaning about being bored at some point, parents looking anxious about the costs adding up, tears in the gift shop being surrounded by overwhelmed children and stressed parents

its not like it is in most films or adverts

HRTQueen · 09/04/2026 00:43

strawgoh · 21/10/2025 22:14

Los Angeles.

Yes very true

much of LA is very run down

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/04/2026 01:52

HRTQueen · 09/04/2026 00:41

Children with containable excitement at theme parks smiling and laughing throughout their time there

reality tears at some point, moaning about being bored at some point, parents looking anxious about the costs adding up, tears in the gift shop being surrounded by overwhelmed children and stressed parents

its not like it is in most films or adverts

There is a reason we only did Legoland once.....although the tears in the gift shop were mainly mine.

Ok....two reasons, that it was an overpriced run down dump was the second!

NavyNorris · 09/04/2026 04:06

"Secretly" following another car..... It's the middle of nowhere (usually nighttime) and you're the only 2 cars on the road. I THINK they may be on to you?

cloudtreecarpet · 09/04/2026 08:25

Everyone lives in lovely, newly decorated houses with huge kitchens - even when the characters have "normal" jobs and are not portrayed as wealthy.

Cornflakegirl7 · 09/04/2026 14:33

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/04/2026 01:52

There is a reason we only did Legoland once.....although the tears in the gift shop were mainly mine.

Ok....two reasons, that it was an overpriced run down dump was the second!

Edited

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186419-d207144-r298217582-LEGOLAND_Windsor_Resort-Windsor_Windsor_and_Maidenhead_Berkshire_England.html

HRTQueen · 09/04/2026 15:58

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/04/2026 01:52

There is a reason we only did Legoland once.....although the tears in the gift shop were mainly mine.

Ok....two reasons, that it was an overpriced run down dump was the second!

Edited

you may be able to relate to this review (its long but very funny)


Wozza2404
Nuneaton
83635
QueueLand and WaspWorld - A Rip Roaring Success!
Review of LEGOLAND Windsor Resort
Reviewed 12 August 2015
Whilst most people are aware of the Legoland resort, it is only a select few who know that the resort actually also incorporates two other fantastic attractions; QueueLand and WaspWorld.

As a British person, I have a keen affinity with queueing. In fact, sometimes I'll stand alone in my kitchen, forming an orderly queue of 1 until it is my turn with the kettle. As such, when someone told me I could visit a place where I could queue continuously, all day long, for 60+ minutes at a time, interspersed with only 1-2 minutes of trundling along in a Lego Racecar before having the opportunity to get back into another queue - I just knew it was somewhere I had to go and experience, along with my young children.

We were certainly not disappointed. At one point we even joined a queue without knowing what was at the end of it (but we're certainly not going to let that stop us enjoying a good, solid queue), and when we did get to end we realised it had been a queue to join another queue. Oh, that was a highlight I'll revel in for many moons to come.

The other attraction at the resort is WaspWorld. This is a live action and interactive attraction, which I was very keen to experience. You see, due to the inclement weather this year, most wild wasps have been sticking to their hives and using the time to relax with a copy of Mein Kampf and a refreshing glass of incandescent rage. At WaspWorld, however, the wasps are clearly bred en-mass, and as such you can see thousands of them swarming around bins, picnic areas, and toddlers' ice cream smeared faces. It was certainly an amazing sight to see so many of the little critters chasing children around the grassy areas; their little faces screaming in delight as 300 wasps attempt to remove a jam sandwich from their little hands.

However what really impressed me is that it is not just in the picnic areas that the wasps come and interact with the guests. Even in the queues, they were there. Now I'm not the kind of person who needs any more entertaining when I'm already enjoying a good queue, but this was certainly an unexpected treat. Unfortunately our family wasn't chosen by the wasps to be one of their "Get stung and win an ice cube from a surly, bored looking teenager on a concession stand" contest, but judging by the line of people waiting for their winnings, there were clearly no shortage of winners. Maybe next time.

The biggest treat of all, however, was at the end. After 5pm in the Pizza and Pasta buffet, kids eat for free. We duly joined the queue (nothing builds an appetite quite like a good queue) and waited to be seated. Unfortunately the main restuarant was full, which is a shame as the temperature was so high inside that I would have quite liked to have demonstrated to my children what life inside a smelting plant would be like; again, maybe next time. Instead we were led to the open-sided 'overflow seating area'. It turns out this was a treat indeed, as the open sides, coupled with 7 hours of spilled fizzy drinks on the tables, chairs and floors which hadn't been cleaned, meant that every single wasp who wasn't on duty in the park was in the restaurant taking a break. Now some would say this was just a coincidence, and not a part of the WaspWorld experience, but as this situation could be totally avoided by providing lids with the drink cups, I can only conclude that this is a WaspWorld bonus attraction. There was a slight issue in the restaurant as they had ran out of cutlery, but hey, what better way to eat a Wasp Salad that with your hands? At leas tthat way you experience it in its full anaphalatic glory.

There were a few issues with the park, however, despite my gushing review. For one, a few of the queues were advertised as 70 minutes, but actually only took 55 minutes; which was a little disappointing. Then there is the issue of people using these little machines called Q-Bots, which cost up to £75 per person and allow users to skip the queues. Now, I'm not sure I entirely see the point of coming all the way to QueueLand and then not wanting to enjoy the queues; one can only assume they weren't British and simply didn't understand the subtle joy that a 75 minute queue in 28 degree sunshine with a 2yr old toddler can bring. Additionally I think the park could do more to invest in some waterproof wasps for the Splash Area.
Date of experience: August 2015

HRTQueen · 09/04/2026 16:00

Cornflakegirl7 beat me to it 😁

henlake7 · 09/04/2026 16:01

Pretty much all food and drink.

it must be horrible....thats the only reason I can think of why people order stuff and then walk off without eating or drinking it! (and it happens all the sodding time!).

Bertiebiscuit · 09/04/2026 16:39

I know I'm late to the party but such an interesting thread i couldn't not join in - I'm going to say London parks - always pretty, civilised green spaces with lots of empty benches, families picnicking and children playing in films
Reality : overflowing bins, rubbish everywhere, benches all occupied by random blokes drinking out of cans and smoking spliff, only moving to piss up against the trees and sexual harass lone females, people burning cheap smelly burgers on disposable bbqs and playing awful music on boom boxes.

Spiderx · 13/04/2026 00:04

Characters arrive back at their houses with all the lights left on !? Or conversley...the sleuth is checking out the inside of a house using a torch ...why don't they just switch the lights on ??

PyongyangKipperbang · 13/04/2026 00:24

Spiderx · 13/04/2026 00:04

Characters arrive back at their houses with all the lights left on !? Or conversley...the sleuth is checking out the inside of a house using a torch ...why don't they just switch the lights on ??

Mine is the beautiful young would-be victim of the serial killer getting home from her stressful job in NY or London, after getting freaked out that she is being watched or followed on the way. But after walking in to her dark flat she turns on ONE small lamp and then goes into the dark kitchen. Sighing with relief, she pours herself a large glass of wine which she drinks by the light of the fridge, just as Sammy Slasher jumps out from behind the door.

Put the big light on you fucking idiot, at least you would have a fighting chance!

ETA just realised that characters coming home to a house with all the lights left on means that my mother has been in many many films.....

Sweetpea333 · 13/04/2026 04:55

They flick one switch and all 37 living room lamps come on, or even the whole house.....

sashh · 13/04/2026 05:57

Sweetpea333 · 13/04/2026 04:55

They flick one switch and all 37 living room lamps come on, or even the whole house.....

I'm disabled so I rely on Alexa for a few things, I can't flick switch but I can say, "Alexa, let there be light" and all connected lights come on.

Ladyzfactor · 13/04/2026 06:39

Hot tub sex. The chemicals and water wash away things you need...

HelenaWaiting · 13/04/2026 06:52

Any movie set in a space ship where the perfectly-groomed cast sashay around in beautifully tailored jumpsuits.

Reality: grey skin, smelly pits, constipation and hair like a Milton Jones tribute act.

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 13/04/2026 08:37

Ladyzfactor · 13/04/2026 06:39

Hot tub sex. The chemicals and water wash away things you need...

Most kinds of tub / in water sex. Water washes away lubrication (whether that be produced by our own bodies or manually applied) without offering any kind of (actual) lubrication…

so it’s a firm no from me 😅😅

LoyalMember · 13/04/2026 08:46

Perfect teeth and nails on characters that are supposed to be homeless and sleeping rough. Worse if it's a medieval character.

Sideorderofchips · 13/04/2026 09:19

Air travel.

Film: arriving at airport, no delays. No sign of security to travel through. Plane seats with lots of space to move around. Everyone getting on and happy to travel

Reality: delays for hours, noisy cramped airport, constant security announcements, tiny plane seats, arguing children and adults

Sugarahhoneyhoney · 13/04/2026 09:49

@Sideorderofchips i recommend air travel with adult children. It's blissful. You get to wander around duty free, take your time choosing your food in Pret, sit down with a lovely book and a gin and tonic on the plane, sleep whenever you like. You don't carry anyone else's luggage either!

DuesToTheDirt · 13/04/2026 16:42

LoyalMember · 13/04/2026 08:46

Perfect teeth and nails on characters that are supposed to be homeless and sleeping rough. Worse if it's a medieval character.

I understand medieval teeth weren't so bad, and they got worse in Tudor times with sugar imports.

In They Shall Not Grow Old, the teeth were absolutely shocking, and on young people too. They barely had a decent set of gnashers between them.

Things that look good in the movies but are probably shit IRL…
DuesToTheDirt · 13/04/2026 16:48

Sweetpea333 · 13/04/2026 04:55

They flick one switch and all 37 living room lamps come on, or even the whole house.....

Or, in something I was watching the other day, they walk in and there are already several table lamps lit. Do they not switch lights off when they go out?

Edit: just saw @Spiderx got there first!

Sweetpea333 · 13/04/2026 17:21

@sashh yes but as you well know, the films I'm talking about don't have characters shout 'Alexa'! Stay in the spirit of the thread please.

LoyalMember · 13/04/2026 19:44

DuesToTheDirt · 13/04/2026 16:42

I understand medieval teeth weren't so bad, and they got worse in Tudor times with sugar imports.

In They Shall Not Grow Old, the teeth were absolutely shocking, and on young people too. They barely had a decent set of gnashers between them.

Medieval teeth would still be manky without brushing and there'd be no remedy for gum disease or broken teeth.

Wakeuplittlebunnies · 13/04/2026 21:33

LoyalMember · 13/04/2026 19:44

Medieval teeth would still be manky without brushing and there'd be no remedy for gum disease or broken teeth.

People used to brush their teeth with miswak and used to rinse out their mouths

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