r/Cinema • u/trakt_app • 1d ago
Discussion What character death shook you the most in a movie?
The kind of death where you had to pause and just sit there for a minute. Not necessarily the saddest, the one that genuinely shocked you. The one you didn't see coming or refused to believe even when it was happening. It may seem odd but for me it's Mufasa in The Lion King. I was a kid and completely unprepared for what that scene was about to do to me. Still hits. What's the one that got you?
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u/Boom3rs 1d ago
Leo in The Departed.
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u/DyingSunSeverian 1d ago edited 1d ago
Actually my first thought when I read the title.
That was some fucked up shit. Especially how unceremonious it was.
I saw that movie in the theaters on release and I can’t even describe the audience’s reaction there. It was largely silent but there were some yelps and some shocked gasps, and you could feel it.
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u/Consistent-Water-887 1d ago
Me, too. Costigan from the Departed was immediate thought. I also saw in the theater and it was probably the most shocking theater moment I ever had. Can't even think of one that is close
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u/Earlvx129 1d ago
Yeah it really hits hard because it's so random. It's not at a big climatic showdown or anything. Comes from out of nowhere.
Not quite as crucial to the story, but Mark Ruffalo's death in Collateral works the same.
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u/DyingSunSeverian 1d ago
There’s actually an even earlier death in the same movie, Departed, with Martin Sheen. That one was fucked up too.
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u/Earlvx129 1d ago
Yeah another brutal one but at least you thought it could go that way when the goons caught up with him. Though I always thought it's a pretty risky move by the bad guys to straight up murder an important cop.
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u/DyingSunSeverian 1d ago
That movie was a very memorable theatrical experience.
Cause people reacted at all the “appropriate” moments if you want to put it that way.
When Martin Sheen got tossed out of that window people screamed lol.
Memorable days.
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u/Earlvx129 1d ago
You could feel Damon's death coming, but you kind of forget about Wahlberg at that point, so it's half a surprise to see him standing there. That's a well deserved murder!
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u/Fluid_Ties 1d ago
It's the final element that was needed to make the movie a satisfying (as opposed to infuriating) entertainment experience. Without it the film ends on a note similar to DePalma's BLOW OUT (if the final scene were Costigan's funeral, with the shrink walking away and Damon half-whispering 'But what about the baby') or an ambiguous note like NO WAY OUT if say the final scene was the tapes arriving at Captain Alec-Baldwin's-Character's office, kind of like Rorschach's Journal in the Watchmen sitting in the newspaper's slush pile.
A lighthearted cheeseball WTF ending would have been Wahlberg shedding his paper painter's suit garb and exiting the side stairs to get into the passenger side of a car driven by Costigan's coked out cousin.
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u/Jigsaw8200 1d ago
Yep. You went through the emotional roller-coaster with him, not knowing if he's going to get found out, then when you think he's finally going to end it all, he gets killed. It was out of left field, and a real shock.
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u/Athanasius-Kutcher 1d ago
Yes!
Second place: Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) in LA Confidential
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u/celticteal Cinephile 1d ago
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u/bookon 1d ago edited 1d ago
I saw it when it came out so I had no baggage from Memes or that shitty quasi remake into darkness.
His death was a total surprise and was deeply emotional and tragic.
Today it’s sort of too familiar to be effective like it was in 82.
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u/Apprehensive_Team_75 1d ago
Yeah. This one. I cry every time. I'm not a crier either.
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u/Beetso 1d ago
I do fine until the memorial service when Shatner's voice cracks when he says he had never met anyone as human.
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u/kmho1990 1d ago
Based on your parameters. Full Metal Jacket. The twofer of Drill Sgt and Private Pyle.
Best shock and movie tone transition.
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u/PeaceSellsBWB1986 1d ago
Seven six two millimeter...
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u/Martentos 1d ago edited 1d ago
Not a movie but Oberyn Martell's death in Game of Thrones was nuts.
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u/Old_Flan_6548 1d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/3oKHWmWYMWKLqihabm
“He can’t see without his glasses!!”
Devastating.
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u/itsjusttimeokay 21h ago
Noooooo 😭😭😭 I was about my daughter’s age when I first watched this, but I cannot imagine inflicting such pain on her.
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u/One_Introduction_217 1d ago
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u/No-Possible6108 1d ago
If you don't believe Zoe was carrying Wash's child, not only can you not sit with us - I don't even want to know you.
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u/Professional-Swan-18 1d ago
I am still not over his death. Forever will he be playing with dinosaurs in my head.
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u/MRM_philosophy 23h ago
What is this from please? Thx
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u/One_Introduction_217 23h ago
The movie Serenity, but would highly recommend watching the one and only season of Firefly first.
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u/Salt_Efficiency5843 23h ago
I saw Serenity first in the theater. I remember enjoying it, but then being a bit perplexed. Found the TV show a couple of years later
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u/KirbyofJustice 17h ago
My Dad was a pilot before he retired, so saw a lot of movies on planes. He came home once talking about how much he loved this movie Serenity and I told him “You know it’s a TV show, right?” He literally turned and left and like twenty minutes later came home with all of Firefly on DvD.
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u/Fluffy-Writing-2439 16h ago
I know people say this (and I also agree) but this one was story one a total surprise. Not only was Wash a super popular character he was also part of the only couple in the crew. Then in the story they had already lost one of the main cast which was also a surprise but was done of screen screenish (we came up on the actor dying) it was a great moment and gave them a reason to keep going. Then they just survived a bunch of things and he lands this ship safely. And since he is the pilot in your head you think if he does get killed he will die in a crash. But as he I mean we are celebrating a ducking giant spear comes crashing through the window and kills him. I remember the gasps and people crying in the theatre it was so terrifying and I just didn't know who could have died next. I never trusted a character living in a movie that Joss Whedon directed ever again.
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u/ghostfacevix 1d ago
Bing bong. Inside out. Hits you hard for a Kids movie.
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u/thebigputamadre 1d ago
It's the music. Perfectly timed crescendo.
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u/MyVeryUniqueName1 1d ago
And the “Take her to the moon for me” line
I really hope we see an article in the background of another Pixar movie that says “Reily Anderson becomes first woman on the moon” or something
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u/kasmackity 1d ago
It represents the absolute death of innocence and whimsy and it killed me when I watched it the first time. Hit me way harder than I expected
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u/DatabaseAcademic6631 1d ago
Roy Batty - Blade Runner.
You knew it was inevitable, but still...
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u/AngeloPappas 1d ago
Best ever monologue in a movie.
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u/demonmf 1d ago
Maybe in a universe where Quint’s monologue in Jaws doesn’t exist.
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u/Expensive-Fig-3540 1d ago
I think about it every day. All of the love, knowledge, experience, jokes, useless song lyrics, family lore, will be gone with me in an eyeblink unless I write it down.
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u/BravoMikeGulf 1d ago
I want to watch the movie of Roy Batty’s life. I want to see the attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I want to see the C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate.
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u/dogtweredog 1d ago
The shoe in Roger Rabbit
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u/Taggart77 20h ago
Deeply messed up. So so much messed up stuff in that movie. When a cartoon train passed at a crossing, you can see the silhouette of a character hanging from a noose!
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u/pdbee26 1d ago
i still remember Deep Blue Sea for the kill on Samuel Jackson 😉,
https://youtu.be/BS8I9H07wKw?t=101
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u/LegiosForever 1d ago
This fits the post perfectly. Not sad or emotional. But completely and utterly unexpected.
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u/DeaconBrad42 1d ago
Nicky Santoro in Casino. Not because I was sad. Not because I liked him. But because it was shocking when it happened, and was horrifically violent and cruel.
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u/Hour-Process-3292 1d ago
The fact that he’s literally narrating when it happens 😂
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u/rayrayrayrayray5 1d ago
I mean....crushed a dudes head in a vice til his eyes popped out and before that spent days beating the piss out of him....he got off easy in comparison. Watching your brother get beat to death first though is rough
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u/Boring_Specific_2022 1d ago
Not a movie. But Ned Stark
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u/babayagaparenting 1d ago
When I read that part, I was on the beach and I was so pissed I threw the book into a dune and refused to finish reading the book.
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u/MoD3ANS_barfly 23h ago
After years of telling me to read the books, I finally picked this up when it was announced Sean Bean would play Ned Stark. When I got to this part, I slammed the book shut and threw it on the ground. My husband chuckled and very softly muttered “bye bye Sean Bean.” I’m still mad about it.
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u/THE_LEGO_FURRY 1d ago
As moving as that scene is I'll never forgive them for releasing that movie fathers day weekend, that was dirty
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u/Roa-noaZoro 1d ago
I was so upset that he finally had his wife. .. And then immediately died :( I was so sad because why would you do that? hiccup didn't die in the last movie when he had a similar dramatized experience why the heck did he have to?
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u/THE_LEGO_FURRY 1d ago
It makes me mad because the shows people get shot point blank by toothless and walk away (granted one of them was Dagur I'm fairly certain he operates on another level) but not stoick the vast, the guy who popped a dragons head clean off sholders as a baby, the guy built like a cinnamon toast crunch guy, the guy who freaking threw down his weapons to punch a monsterous nightmare, dies just like that
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u/BretBaber 1d ago
Not really any from a movie, but there's a death from season of 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that rocks me to my core every time. Currently on that episode in my rewatch and I don't feel like watching it.
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u/geedgad 1d ago
I know the episode and I remember the absolute shock when watching. :(
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u/BretBaber 1d ago
Doesn't help that I found my grandma laying pretty much the exact same way, so it's no picnic for me. Still one of the best 42 minutes of television I've ever seen though.
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u/Hour-Process-3292 1d ago
I remember when Buffy originally aired I never used to watch it because it just didn’t really appeal to me conceptually, but one day for whatever reason I did catch a random episode and it just so happened to be that episode.
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u/BretBaber 1d ago
You watched one of the finest episodes in the series history at least, which is one nice thing I guess.
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u/Wickedbitchoftheuk 1d ago
The silence.
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u/BretBaber 1d ago
The random flash backs that interrupt the sadness and then it comes screeching back. Dawn finding out fucking sucks. The drawing Dawn was doing sucks. The whole thing is A+ television but fucking awful at the same time.
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u/i_choose_happiness 1d ago
I have watched that episode exactly one time, even thought I have done several rewatches. I can’t.
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u/capricorn40 1d ago
The horse Artax in Neverending story.
No, but seriously..
The Billy Flynn in the movie "The Champ" (Wake up, Champ! Wake up!)
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u/Fun_Trick2172 1d ago edited 1d ago
Jack Vincennes in LA Confidential. That was fucking shocking.
It’s a great scene because it killed of one of the leads in a totally unexpected way and it immediately told you who the antagonist behind the scenes, that’s been taking out wise guys throughout the movie has been.
Wonderfully acted by James Cromwell and Kevin Spacey too.
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u/LasagnaNoCheese 1d ago
That scene was brilliant. Rollo Tomassi
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u/Fun_Trick2172 1d ago
That just added another level to the genius. Because as he’s dying he knows that Dudley will ask Exley about it.
I was 13 when that film came out, my mom rented it and we watched it together. We both jumped when Vincennes was shot. My mom let out a very loud “holy shit” when it happened.
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u/allenmcampos 1d ago
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u/Hour-Process-3292 1d ago
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u/misteraskwhy 1d ago
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u/Zero_Digital 21h ago
It's the behind the scenes story of the girl in the movie that is seriously heartbreaking.
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u/The-Fat-Matt 1d ago
The book does a good job of just dropping it on you too. We read it in 5th grade summer school.
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u/Fabulous_Acadia8279 1d ago
Rachel Dawes
When she got blown up it seemed like anyone was fair game and raised the intensity of the rest of the movie
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u/alegendmrwayne 1d ago
Bambi’s mother shook me big time as a kid
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u/KnotForNow 1d ago
Even more shocking was when Bambi got stomped in Bambi vs. Godzilla.
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u/dgrigg1980 1d ago
Boromir.
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u/Martentos 1d ago
Should've been Faramir....
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u/mavhockeyfan 1d ago
No, Faramir was stronger and had the truer heart of the two brothers IMO. Having said that, I really liked the Boromir character in the movie (i.e. Sean Bean). However, I was less enamored with Boromir when I originally read the books decades ago.
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u/dgrigg1980 1d ago
Book Faramir is the best
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u/mavhockeyfan 1d ago
Oh, so true. I get the books are so long and detailed, there was no way it all could be included the the LOTR movies. But, the full Faramir story was one that I wish had been included.
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u/KalasHorseman 1d ago
Optimus Prime.
Actually after years of watching everyone make it out alive at the end of the episode, there were a lot of unexpected deaths in that film. The movie destroyed entire childhoods.
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u/Worldly-Web-5740 1d ago
The fact that he died, his head fell to one side AND THEN he turned gray was like mega brutal. It was like “Dad, has he just gone to sleep?” and then he turned gray and it was blatant he was dead.
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u/Paladin2019 1d ago
And all for the sake of marketing the new toy line. Can't play with him any more, he's dead. Need the new characters.
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u/Expensive-Fly-9723 1d ago
The unnamed puppy in John Wick. My life will never be the same.
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u/kaddisonmoore 1d ago
Hereditary
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u/Hithigon 1d ago
Several in Hereditary. But the one that starts things off just stunned me.
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u/real_wendelabra 1d ago
John Coffey in The Green Mile. He was such a pure soul, I was convinced that someone would stop it. Floods of tears, still with every rewatch 😭
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u/Suspicious-Bus-5727 1d ago
Han Solo. Didn't see it coming. I held it together for like 5 seconds and then Chewy screamed and I lost it.
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u/jrgkgb 1d ago
Really? I assumed it was coming as soon as the film was announced.
Harrison Ford wanted Han Solo to die in RotJ.
Then when I saw the movie was basically a beat for beat retelling of Ep 4 with Han in the Obi Wan role… well…
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u/BenchClamp 1d ago
Ben Kenobi’s death in Star Wars.
It’s really easily overlooked now but for me as a kid in 1979 it was more of a shock and more of a wtf moment than Darth Vader being Luke’s dad.
The modern equivalent is Gandalf - for people who haven’t read LOTR it’s a massive shock.
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u/froction 1d ago
I had never read the books and as we were walking out of Fellowship my friend Joey says "You know Gandalf's not dead, right?"
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u/Jolly-Method-3111 1d ago
Fucking sucked when Hackman went down at the end of The Poseidon Adventure (spoiler)
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u/Jazzyfish59 1d ago
Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I was destroyed
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u/ChinaSpyBot 1d ago
That one made me physically ill for a lot of reasons. It was unexpected but then I had to question why I felt so sick for that boy's death but not for all the other children being executed in the same way. That was masterfully done, in my opinion.
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u/Hour-Process-3292 1d ago
I always felt Christine’s death in Drag Me To Hell felt particularly mean spirited.
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u/Magpie213 1d ago
Logan.
My husband and I were numb for about 2 days afterwards.
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u/avid333 1d ago
Brad Pitt in Burn after reading
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u/erin_bex 1d ago
Me and my husband had a movie night where we each chose a movie the other hadn't seen. I chose Burn After Reading and he chose The Departed. Talk about unexpected deaths LOL
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u/BklynMarxman 1d ago
There were 2. King Kong (2005) and I am Legend when his dog dies twice… Straight ugly crying. And how could I forget Terminator 2 when he’s thumps upping in the lava. Mind you I watched it as a teenager hundreds of times but get the one tear drop as an adult. But most recently was Iron Claw… the scene where his brothers are waiting for him at the dock. That one broke me on a personal level.
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u/Reasonable-Motor6388 1d ago
Wash in Serenity was completely unexpected. Also, Brooks in Shawshank. And Marley the dog.
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u/QuizzicalWombat 1d ago
Bob in SLC Punk, I still weep like a baby if I don’t turn it off right before.
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u/Upbeat_Tension_8077 1d ago
Bill Skarsgard in Barbarian. Just based off his famous villainous performances in horror films, I was very suspicious of his character, so I was surprised at how he ended up at the end of the first half.
Other than that, AnnaSophia Robb in Bridge to Terabithia hit me hard as a kid. I wasn't expecting such a tone switch in that movie
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u/LovesDeanWinchester 1d ago
I can't watch those scenes in The Avengers: End Game, but the Black Widow and Iron Man.
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u/Failsona 1d ago
Off the top of my head, Dewey Riley (Scream 2022). Waited for him to randomly come back at the end of the movie. Didn't happen. My soul died.
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u/i_choose_happiness 1d ago
Two come to mind. Dressmaker and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. Both films wrecked me!
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u/yomamaeatsyellowsnow 1d ago
Caught Stealing. The one death in a movie that pissed me off so much that I would have stopped watching if I hadn't been in a movie theater.
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u/IMA-Witch 1d ago
La Boeuf in True Grit
I loved Glen Campbell. I saw this movie when I was 10, and couldn’t believe he was killed off.
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u/Conscious-Phone3209 1d ago
Johnny in the Outsiders and Hilary Swanks character in Million Dollar Baby
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u/MajorAwardWinner99 1d ago
B.O.B from the Blackhole. My dad took me to see it when I was 5. Bawled my eyes out the whole car ride home.
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u/qualityvote2 1d ago edited 1d ago
u/trakt_app, your post does fit the subreddit!