An Unpopular Opinion: Does It Cut You From The Herd or Make You A Born Rebel?
A few months ago, my husband wanted to watch the movie Hall Pass because he had heard it was hilarious.
Uh, no. Not funny at all. Dear God! I felt the few precious brain cells I had left popping like bubble wrap in a room full of kids as I watched this modern day Porky’s. Okay, I MAY have laughed once, at the pool scene when two naked men came running out of the gym locker room to help Owen for some forgettable reason. One was a large black man and the other an Irishman. You can guess the wee (bwah!) joke. The movie actually pissed me off. I was ready for funny and all I got was this stupid movie.
And that wasn’t the first time I hadn’t laughed at a very popular “hilarious” movie. I LIVE for hilarious! Here goes…[whispering] I didn’t think The Hangover was funny. I KNOW…I may be the only person on the planet that didn’t cry laughing at that one. Maybe it was because I’d never been to Vegas and don’t get the whole “What happens in Vegas” hoopla. Who knows.
The Descendants was a more recent movie I didn’t “get”. It was supposed to be a tragic comedy, I think. All that came across to me was pathetic. I really wanted to like George Clooney’s character but he was blah. I KNOW! I never thought George could be blah, but he was. The kids were annoying. The only thing I really liked about it was the film setting in Hawaii; I’d have rather watched wave after wave crash onto a pristine tropical beach for two hours than have watched this movie’s plot drown in shallow waters.
And it hasn’t been just the movies. This has also happened with a book or two. I read The Hunger Games series over the holidays and I was left scratching my head. I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t get what the big whoop-dee-do was either. Was it because of the dystopian theme and that it was a bit far out of my normal reading zone?
What is wrong with me?! Am I out of touch? Am I a stick in the mud? How am I not “getting” it? It sort of feels like I am a Hereford in a herd of Holsteins and don’t understand what all of the mooing is about.
I have tried to self-diagnose and the best thing I’ve come up with is that I have to be in the right mood in order to enjoy a certain movie or book. Like I shouldn’t read depressing material when I am in a jovial mood. I shouldn’t watch slapstick when I am feeling serious. I shouldn’t read dystopian when I really need a happy ending. I think to be the most objective, I need to be in the right frame of mind…ready…prepared. But I also just need to be true to myself by not trying to shove my squareness into a round hole. Having a different opinion than others is healthy but what does it mean when it is different than E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E?
Have you ever hated a movie/book EVERYONE AND THEIR DOG proclaimed was the best ever? How about loved and everyone else hated? Tell us which ones.
Does it give you a complex? What is your theory? Are we independent thinkers or just plain wacko? Ditzy and don’t know it? Cute but clueless? Independently ignorant?
Let the therapy session begin…
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I am very much like this — in fact I really hate reading or watching anything that is a well-loved or “must watched” or very popular. I really do think it’s too each his/her own. But on top of that, there’s the feeling that I am being pressured to like/do something that I ALWAYS buck against. (p.s. I couldn’t even get going on The Hunger Games, will NEVER watch The Hangover or Porky’s, haven’t seen The Descendants (and now wonder if I should), and…ssshhhh…. don’t like Downton Abbey (I know, doesn’t *everyone* like that?). The only recent exception to this rule is The Notebook, that I resisted for years watching (I loved the book), and finally because it’s my daughter’s favorite ever movie, I watched, and I LOVED it! So I suppose there’s an exception to every rule, even my own.
Ah, yes…The Notebook. I admit, I have only watched the movie and not read the book. I did shed a few tears so it made its impact. So do you think it has to do with mood or hype? I think my issue is a little bit of both. Love that you are a non-conformist!
Further, Erika Marks blogged something similar recently — we’re TRIPLETS!!
This post got me thinking, Hallie, about how often our opinions are formed because we feel like we should model them after the opinions of mainstream society. Do we really like The Hunger Games or Downton Abbey because it appeals to us in some way or because we know it appeals to the masses? The next time I watch a book or read a movie, I am going to keep this in mind. Thanks!
I know, it is hard to tell sometimes when we hear so much. Is it subliminal or intentional? Unless we live in isolation, we will never know. Give the little girl a “squeeze” from me! I can’t wait to meet your little angel. xo
Sometimes you just have to scratch your head at what other people like. Everyone raved about Room, so I was really looking forward to reading it. I couldn’t get past the first few pages. And I couldn’t see what others like about it, but like it they do. I’m only luke warm about Downtown Abby.
Oops! Downton Abbey, I mean.
Love this post, Hallie, and thank you for writing it! It’s very timely too, as I’m feeling very much the square peg being forced into the round hole these days.
I just watched The Notebook with my 18-year-old son (my husband wouldn’t watch it with me). At the end we both had tears in our eyes, and it took a while before either of us could speak. When my son finally did he said, “Mom, that was a really good story.” He was genuinely surprised, and, truthfully, so was I.
I haven’t yet caught an episode of Downton Abbey, or seen the Descendants. I have seen The Hangover (only because I have teen aged sons) and while I thought the premise was very clever, I’m not a fan. The ‘What Do Tigers Dream Of’ song was my favorite scene in the movie. This new brand of humor leaves nothing to the imagination. It’s just vulgar–like the middle ages w/o the 800 yr filter. I didn’t read The Hunger Games either, but I did read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I wanted to know why it was an international bestseller. I still don’t know, and I spent a lot of time reading that book. I enjoyed the Ikea references, and the murder mystery (when the author finally got to it), but I was appalled by the brutality toward women. Was it just the hype that made that book an international bestseller, or did I miss something?
Don’t worry… it’s not just you. I just saw the Descendants with my mom yesterday, and we had the same lukewarm reception (I know … WHO can think that about a George Clooney performance?)… The acting was flat, the pacing was flat. And I know a lot of people who LOVED Crazy, Stupid, Love. Hated it. Slow pacing, drawn out (and I am THE quintessential fan of drama). So… nah. It’s not just you. It’s ok to disagree with the masses. (Oh -and also hated Hangover. Just not funny to me. At all.) It shows your character!