History HardTruthAesop / LiveActionFilms

* ''Film/BadTeacher'':
** InUniverse, Elizabeth ''harshly'' tells Garrett that some girls like Chase are shallow bitches who will never care about "sensitive" guys like him, nor be impressed by his poetry and he should just move on.
** The conflict between the seemingly nice, but immature, Amy and the bitchy, but crafty, Elizabeth [[spoiler: ends with Amy being framed for possessing drugs and transferred to a crappy school while Elizabeth is promoted to the guidance counselor and is able to get away with her actions]]. The lesson is no matter how "nice" you may be as a person, a ruthless, lying {{Jerkass}} with greater street smarts will win out over you, especially if you act like a weirdo to people and naively try and convince yourself that you can get this person to like you. Amy only nearly succeeds in [[spoiler: getting Elizabeth fired by engaging in a bit of trickery with the desks, but Elizabeth was able to outmaneuver her anyways through a bit of blackmail and deception]]. Playing fair will not help you when the other person doesn't.

* ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' opens with the Kobyashi Maru simulation, a test to see how Starfleet cadets deal with [[UnwinnableByDesign an unwinnable scenario]], with Kirk the only cadet to have ever beaten the simulation. When asked how, Kirk reveals that he secretly reprogrammed it to make it possible to win, which came from a refusal to admit he might lose. The separation of dealing with an unwinnable scenario and finding any trick possible to win is the core theme of the film. In the climax, in the face of complete destruction, Spock chooses a HeroicSacrifice as the only logical solution, which forces Kirk to admit that he's spent so much time "cheating death and patting myself on the back for my ingenuity" that he never learned the real lesson behind the Kobayashi Maru: how you [[GracefulLoser face defeat]] is just as valuable as how you find victory.

* ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'': Sometimes, divorce actually ''is'' the best option for a struggling married couple, especially if children are involved, since the couple being apart from each other can help them not spend all of their time fighting one another and thus be the parents that they need to be for their children. Likewise, most couples who get divorced ''don't'' get back together. Also, two people who are way too different from one another cannot function together as a romantic couple, especially not in the long run. The original script actually did have Daniel and Miranda get back together, but as their actors, both were divorcees themselves, [[WagTheDirector they had the script changed]] as they didn't want to give kids of divorced parents false hope that their parents might remarry.

* ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'': Sometimes, divorce actually ''is'' the best option for a struggling married couple, especially if children are involved, since the couple being apart from each other can help them not spend all of their time fighting one another and thus be the parents that they need to be for their children. Likewise, most couples who get divorced ''don't'' get back together. Also, two people who are way too different from one another cannot function together as a romantic couple, especially not in the long run. The original script actually did have them get back together, but with Robin Williams and Sally Field both being divorced, they felt strongly enough to get it changed, as they didn't want to give kids in that situation unrealistic expectations.

* ''Film/GameOverMan'': Sometimes, the RoleModel or person/people you look up to will turn out to be a {{Jerkass}} who will completely let you down, leaving you completely devastated unless you're lucky enough to be lifted up by a saving grace.

* ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'': Sometimes, divorce actually ''is'' the best option for a struggling married couple, especially if children are involved, since the couple being apart from each other can help them not spend all of their time fighting one another and thus be the parents that they need to be for their children. Likewise, most couples who get divorced ''don't'' get back together. Also, two people who are way too different from one another cannot function together as a romantic couple, especially not in the long run. The original script actually did have them get back together, but with Robin Williams and Sally Field both being divorced, they felt strongly enough to get it changed.

* ''Film/TradingPlaces'': After Louis' problems start, he tries to get help from his friends and fiance...only for them to ditch him. The lesson is that sometimes the people calling you their "friend" are sometimes selfish jerks who won't sacrifice for you.

** ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'': You cannot [[PayEvilUntoEvil match evil with evil]] and stand proud at the end. The DoomedMoralVictor is not an easy path to take that requires personal sacrifice, and [[HeWhoFightsMonsters matching your opponents tactics only makes you become more like them]]. Despite [[SheatheYourSword withholding the killing blow on Vader]] Luke would have died from the Emperor but doing so also gave Vader the opportunity to save him, [[HeroicSacrifice at the cost of his own life]]. Luke was conflicted over who Vader was, but saw fit to give him a hero's funeral pyre.

* ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' opens with the Kobyashi Maru simulation, a test to see how Starfleet cadets deal with [[UnwinnableByDesign an unwinnable scenario]], with Kirk the only cadet to have ever beaten the simulation. When asked how, Kirk reveals that he secretly reprogrammed it to make it possible to win, which came from a refusal to admit he might lose. The separation of dealing with an unwinnable scenario and finding any trick possible to win is the core theme of the film. In the climax in the face of complete destruction Spock chooses a HeroicSacrifice as the only logical solution, which forces Kirk to admit that he's spent so much time "cheating death and patting myself on the back for my ingenuity" meant he never learned the real lesson behind the Kobayashi Maru: how you [[GracefulLoser face defeat]] is just as valuable as how you find victory.

* ''Film/GetOut2017'': All racism is a form of "othering" another culture, and [[FlawlessToken admiration can be its' own form of bigotry]]. This applies to liberals as well as conservatives, even though overt racism is associated with the right wing the film shows how liberals can easily use their apparent progressiveness as a shield for their own mistreatment of minorities, almost making them more harmful than if it was obvious. This is demonstrated by [[spoiler:the Armitage family who praise the talents of black people while seeking to [[GrandTheftMe possess their bodies]]]], and lull Chris into a false sense of security and trust.

* ''Film/GetOut2017'': Being a liberal doesn't make you any less guilty or capable of racism. Racism is often portrayed as something exclusively associated with the right-wing, but the film shows how liberals can easily use their apparent progressiveness as a shield for their own bigotry, which makes them more dangerous than if it was obvious, as demonstrated by [[spoiler:the entire Armitage family]], who lull Chris into a false sense of security and trust.

** ''Film/RogueOne'': Keeping your head down and going along to get along is itself a form of DirtyBusiness: HeWhoFightsMonsters is every bit as morally compromised as those who do nothing in the face of an evil system. Violence is not only the right answer, against a for with their boot on your neck it's the only answer, even if it gets you killed, because [[Film/ANewHope others deserve to make use of the chances you will give them]].

'''Fletcher''': Well, that's because you have [[BuxomIsBetter big jugs...]]

** The {Prequel} Trilogy in general reminds us that DemocracyIsFlawed and the seeds of fascism have no problem growing inside it. Keeping your republic safe, secure, and free is not one simple guiding principle but will inevitably involve moral compromises, some [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope insurmountable.]]