30 Mistakes Movies Make When Portraying Various Professions, As Shared By Folks In This Online Thread

It could be argued that, a lot of the time, the professions we do not have much direct contact with will not be well understood, and that counts for movie makers as well. People behind movies aren't always going to have deep knowledge about doctors, engineers or lawyers, and even if they have access to people from those professions that can consult them, the end result will still likely be changed for the cinematic or dramatic effect. So it could be said that it's not the movie maker's intention to deceive us when it comes to what people really do with their professions, but that's rather the by-product of trying to make the movie as concise and interesting as possible.

It could be said, though, that some movies don't even try to be realistic with their portrayals of various jobs, to the point where even people unrelated to the profession might cringe a little. For example, the way software development or hacking in movies is shown brings out not fascination, but rather a laugh, as the "hackers" or "programmers" on the screen assemble 3D shapes, smash their keyboards and type out gibberish.

I'd say that one big drawback of inaccurate portrayal of jobs in movies is that it gives a skewed perspective on those professions to people that might actually be interested in working in those fields. From kids to adults, movies will commonly show either the most exciting or the dullest parts of a certain job, when in reality, elements of both can be found in pretty much any line of work. Police officers have to do paperwork, lawyers don't scream at the top of their lungs in the courtroom, and builders aren't just background characters who just walk around pretending to build stuff.

All in all, as with some things, movies probably aren't the best resource for helping you pick out the job of your dreams. That being said, it doesn't mean they don't entertain and bring us laughter and joy, even if some things are portrayed completely wrong.