10 Movies and TV Shows That Stick to Reality

When it comes to TV shows and movies, accurate representations of the complexities of real life are not always on the menu. Sometimes, portraying reality can be harder than creating a whole new universe. That’s why, in this article, we’ll show you 10 times we were pleasantly surprised by the depictions of reality on our screens.

1. Ratatouille’s resemblance to real professional kitchens

Ratatouille has been praised by those in the culinary world due to its technical accuracy. The way in which the characters cut the onions and season the food is how real restaurants do it, according to professional chefs. While it’s weird that a movie about a rat is the one getting praise, it’s no coincidence that the production team got it right.

To be able to know how a kitchen is run and how dishes are prepared, the filmmakers had to reach out to the renowned American chef, Thomas Keller. The chef worked alongside the production team in one of his restaurants and even showed them how to prepare the famous ratatouille recipe that’s featured in the movie.

2. Workin’ Moms represents women that have to juggle work and having a family.

The TV show features 4 moms that work full-time jobs and have to balance all the aspects of their lives at the same time. There are many scenes that any working mom can relate to. But there is one in particular where we see one of the characters, Kate, pumping her milk in the bathroom at her office.

3. Turning Red shows 2 girls with diabetes.

Turning Red is a movie that carefully tries to represent the life and experience of a kid that’s becoming a teen. Thankfully, the production team had an eye for little details, so they decided to include different types of representations in the film. For example, in Mei’s class, 2 of her classmates have patches on their arms — this gear is specifically used by people that have been diagnosed with diabetes.

4. La La Land represents the cycle of relationships.

The movie follows a couple through their relationship and their individual hunt for success in their careers. It portrays how sometimes life and the different paths a person may follow can lead to a relationship ending.

In one of the last scenes of the movie, we see Mia, an accomplished actress, with her husband looking at her ex-boyfriend, Sebastian, an accomplished pianist, performing. As if that wasn’t enough to break our hearts, the director decided to also show us how their lives would have been if they had stayed together.

5. Where the Heart Is portrayed a woman giving birth at a Walmart.

Although the story might sound fake and straight out of a movie, there have been instances when women gave birth at department stores in real life. However, this movie is not based on any of those actual occurrences, and this is one of those cases when we’re not sure if art imitates life or the other way around.

6. The Weasley mom confused her twins.

In one scene of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the Weasleys and Harry are preparing to cross a portal when the mom calls for Fred to go next. However, the twins decide to prank her and confuse her about who’s who. According to a mom of identical boys, these confusions can really happen, although she has developed some tricks over the years to be able to tell her twins apart.

7. The last scene of Bohemian Rhapsody is a re-enactment.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic that follows one of the biggest rockstars on the planet, Freddie Mercury. Although not every part of the movie is completely accurate, some parts are, like the last scene of the movie, which brilliantly recreates, shot for shot, the iconic Live Aid concert the original band gave, and at times, we even confuse the actor with the singer.

8. The TV show, My Mad Fat Diary offers an accurate take on mental health.

This TV show follows Rae, a plus-size teenager that struggles with mental health to the point where she needs to be institutionalized. Rae is trying to adjust to the real world with the help of her friends and her therapist. With her ups and downs, not everything she experiences is positive, and she has to learn how to navigate her emotions.

9. Game of Thrones portrays extended breastfeeding.

Although Game of Thrones’ depiction of extended breastfeeding is not the best, there are moms in real life that are trying to destigmatize extended breastfeeding. Even The Big Bang Theory actress, Mayim Bialik, has talked about her experience nursing her 4-year-old son.

10. On Friends, every female character gets to be a mom in an unconventional way.

The show gave its female characters different paths to motherhood and showed that there are multiple ways to become a parent. Rachel and Ross had a baby while they weren’t romantically involved. However, both of them took care of the little one, at least for a while until Rachel left to be a single mom who occasionally received help from her friends.

Phoebe gets to be a surrogate mom for her brother and his wife, and she gives birth to triplets. Technically, she didn’t keep the babies, but she did get to be their cool aunt. And lastly, Monica adopted a baby after finding that she and Chandler couldn’t get pregnant.