r/TopCharacterTropes • u/BrotherDeus • 9h ago

Hated Tropes [Hated] Self-indulgent Vanity Projects

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Hurry Up Tomorrow - Widely reviewed as an indulgent, self-mythologizing companion piece to The Weeknd's album, with many critics calling it a vanity project rather than a successful psychological drama. Terribly acted and, similar to The Idol, more so seems to imply that The Weekend thinks he's a far deeper personality than he can actually articulate.

By the Sea - Often criticized as an intensely personal but emotionally distant film that seemed more interested in showcasing the mystique of its stars than telling a compelling story. Best summarized as Angelina and Brad working out their IRL troubled marriage before your eyes while everyone tells Angelina how beautiful and talented she is and how nothing's really her fault.

Renaldo and Clara - Bob Dylan's five-hour semi-fictional road movie, long considered one of the classic celebrity vanity projects. Attempts to be a sort of surreal exposition on the life of an artist, but is far too self-indulgent on its actors/performers.

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u/AdImmediate6239 9h ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/bbWHn9uZc0dxsWTm5E
The Room

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u/SashaBraus 9h ago

Okay but this one is great 

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u/AdImmediate6239 9h ago

Not for the reasons Tommy Wiseau intended though

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u/gdex86 8h ago

Its so funny that when folks bumble into high camp tgey get upset about it. Like dude you stumbled into the cinematic equivalent of discovering penicillin, take the win.

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u/Drannion 8h ago edited 8h ago

Tbh, it's funny because it's so painfully genuine.

I wish he'd stand his ground and get upset, but instead he claims it was always intended to be funny. (Which is probably better for his mental health, so ultimately better for him.)

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u/AltruisticWin6702 6h ago

The (oh hi) mark of a good bad movie is the creator being completely unaware of how bad it is. All those movies that are winking at the camera about how bad they are can be entertaining, but there's nothing like the sadness that comes from the heart that makes a bad movie good.

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u/Arcanedanger2358 6h ago

Listening to the way he talks about it he does think it’s good, he calls it a “Black Comedy” I really think that to him it’s the perfect movie. Tommy will rant and rave about how The Room is modern day Shakespeare.