There are lots of older movies that still hold up pretty well today. But there are also plenty of films that, for one reason or another, have just NOT aged well.
CBC
Recently, Reddit user u/browniebiscuitchildr asked, “What’s a movie that went from beloved to hated over time (and for good reason)?” Here’s what people had to say:
Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Note: Some of these responses include mentions of sexual assault and #6 mentions suicide.
1. Super Size Me (2004)
Samuel Goldwyn Films/Courtesy Everett Collection
“It was seen as a serious ‘scientific’ documentary about the dangers of fast food in general and McDonald’s in particular. It led to serious discussions about what Americans put in their bodies. Then we learned that the filmmaker, Mogran Spurlock, was an alcoholic and drank heavily during the ‘experiment.’ He also didn’t provide any detailed diet logs to back up his claims. And then MeToo…”
—u/AudibleNod
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy Everett Collection
“Rape and sexual assault in Revenge of the Nerds were shown as harmless shenanigans, but are now more fully understood as the serious crimes they are.”
3. Get Him to the Greek (2010)
Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Get Him To The Greek was pretty well-received at the time.”
—u/nizzery
4. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
United Archives / Getty Images
“The Birth of a Nation (1915) is by far the best example of a movie that went from beloved to hated, and for good and obvious reason.”
Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
“I remember the film was all over the place, and everyone was saying what a great movie it was. When I finally watched it, I felt kind of bad for Bradley Cooper’s character. Then, when I found out the truth, I felt seriously betrayed. It was my first taste of American propaganda.”
New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection
“The Notebook is bullshit. Their first date is a result of Ryan Gosling’s character threatening to kill himself if she says no.”
7. Crash (2004)
Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett Collection
“It was regarded as a top-tier movie when it came out (and even won Best Picture), but today, people say that it’s terrible.”
Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
“The Blind Side is peak ‘white savior cringe,’ and it’s wild how people ignored that for years. Watching it now, it’s like…how did nobody see this mess coming?”
9. Patch Adams (1998)
Melissa Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
“Not only was the movie insulting to the real doctor it was based on — it implied that he cheated his way through medical school — they also portrayed the murder of Hunter Adams’s friend as the death of a woman that Robin Williams’s character was romantically involved with. Incredibly tasteless. Regardless, it topped the box office when it came out. Critics weren’t impressed, but general audiences loved it until they realized how manipulative and dishonest the film was.”
Related: 26 Movie Couples Who, Honest To God, Had Less Chemistry Than Two Wet Napkins
10. Garden State (2004)
Fox Searchlight/Courtesy Everett Collection
“As a teenager, Garden State seemed legit cool and even deep when it came out. Now it just feels like it’s about some whiny white boy becoming codependent on a manic pixie dream girl. I don’t know if times have changed or if I just grew up.”
11. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection
“I remember they showed it at school. It was meant to be this big amazing film about the Holocaust. Looking back on it, it’s so bloody shallow and paints the average German family as much more sympathetic than they actually were. It completely skips over the actual reality.”
12. The Boondock Saints (1999)
Franchise Pictures
“I think it’s no longer beloved because everyone grew out of their edgelord phases. It’s still a quotable/memeable movie, but a lot of that luster is gone.”
13. Sixteen Candles (1984)
Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Long beloved as a teen classic, it’s now mostly remembered for its ugliest choices: casual racism, date rape jokes, and a general vibe that says, ‘We didn’t think this through.'”
14. Love Actually (2003)
Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Everyone loved it when it was released 20 years ago. It became iconic. Looking back, it really is just ‘Workplace Harassment: The Movie.'”
—u/TheBlobbit
Related: There’s No Way Anyone Born After 1971 Can Pass This Old Movies Quiz
15. Hillbilly Elegy (2020)
Lacey Terrell / Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection
“The book and film were both held in high regard, with the film getting Academy Award nominations. But now it’s often talked about as just one more thing that helped catapult JD Vance towards the vice presidency.”
16. American Beauty (1999)
DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection
“It had already been downgraded before we learned about Kevin Spacey, but now it’s especially radioactive.”
—u/binkyping
17. And lastly: Emilia Pérez (2024)
Netflix /Courtesy Everett Collection
“Emilia Perez had a pretty quick turnover!”
What are some other movies that went from beloved to hated? Tell us in the comments or use the anonymous form below.
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