History Film / TheStrangeThingAboutTheJohnsons

* IdiotBall: If Sidney was a little more careful with the manuscript to his memoir, the movie would have taken an entirely different path. Instead, he treats it as if he wants Isaiah to read it. With his first copy, he hides it under a pillow but not entirely so that it could be noticed from a couple yards away and lets Isaiah into the room where it is being hidden, albeit reluctantly. With his second copy, he carries it out in the open despite the fact he knows Isaiah is currently in the same house he's in and was already caught by him with the first copy.

* KillItWithFire: Subverted; Isaiah attempts to shove Joan's head into a fireplace, but she gets ahold [[WithinArmsReach of the nearby fire iron]] and gets the upper hand of the fight.

* SelfMadeOrphan: Not only did Isaiah accidentally get his dad killed, but he tried to shove his mother's face into a fireplace after she attacked him.

* SpringtimeForHitler: Ari Aster stated that, after seeing past works made by fellow alums, he chose to make the worst thing he could think of at American Film Institute, which is one of the most respected film schools in the United States but also an industry school that encourages their students to make more safe and conventional movies. [[LittleDidIKnow Little did he know]] that many film critics would embrace it more for its genuine merits than its shock values.

* BookBurning: A variant involving the paper-only manuscript of Sidney's memoir detailing Isaiah's abuse. He leaves it on Joan's bed, but Isaiah finds it and vows to burn it; he then takes another copy he had hidden beneath the floorboards, which actually ''does'' get burned at the end.

* RefugeInAudacity: Somewhat a meta-example where nobody would imagine this kind of short film would come right out of American Film Institute.

* DrivenToSuicide: Possibly; it's not made explicitly clear if Sidney's death via car was [[LookBothAways accidental]] or intentional.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Isaiah's wife is only seen a few times and is unseen the rest of the film.

* BrokenTears: Joan after killing Isaiah.

* DrivenToSuicide: Possibly; it's not made explicitly clear if Sidney's death via car was accidental or intentional.

* KillItWithFire: Subverted; Isaiah attempts to shove Joan's head into a fireplace, but she gets ahold of the nearby fire iron and gets the upper hand of the fight.

* OffingTheOffspring: Joan kills Isaiah in the end, although it's purely out of self-defense and [[BrokenTears brings her zero satisfaction]].

* BystanderSyndrome: On multiple occasions in the film, Joan is made fully aware of Isaiah's abuse of Sidney -- either by seeing it firsthand or hearing it -- but chooses not to do anything, likely prolonging the abuse. Even worse is that in her final conversation with Isaiah, she reveals that she'd seen the signs of his abuse in Sidney ''since it began''.

** When Joan confronts Isaiah at the end, she alludes to ''something'' that he did on his prom night that had Sidney crying when he drove him home, which alludes to just how long the abuse was going on.

* SpringtimeForHitler: Ari Aster stated that, after seeing past works made by fellow alums, he chose to make the worst thing he could make at American Film Institute, which is one of the most respected film schools in the United States but also an industry school that encourages their students to make more safe and conventional movies. [[LittleDidIKnow Little did he know]] that many film critics would embrace it more for its genuine merits than its shock values.

* WhamShot: One that sets the tone of the film ''hard'' — the photo Isaiah was masturbating to in the opening was that of his dad.

** 2) Isaiah is a deeply disturbed individual who was sexually abused by his own father. At some point in the past (the opening masturbation scene would imply puberty), Sidney took advantage of Isaiah's feelings, but Isaiah never outgrew his attraction to his father. Sidney's book is a confession to his wife on how his molesting their son had grown completely out of control. This is supported by Isaiah's accusation that Sidney was the one to initiate it, and thus they're both equally at fault.

** 2) Isaiah is a deeply disturbed individual who was sexually abused by his own father. At some point in the past (the opening masturbation scene would imply puberty), Sidney took advantage of Isaiah's feelings, but Isaiah never outgrew his attraction to his father. Sidney's book is a confession to his wife on how molesting their son has grown completely out of control. This is supported by Isaiah's accusation that Sidney was the one to initiate it, and thus they're both equally at fault.

** When Joan confronts Isaiah at the end, she alludes to ''something'' that he did on his prom night that had Sidney crying when he drove him home, which alludes to just how long this has been going on.

** 2) Isaiah is a deeply disturbed individual who was sexually abused by his own father. At some point in the past (the opening masturbation scene would imply puberty) Sidney took advantage of Isaiah's feelings, but Isaiah never outgrew his attraction to his father. Sidney's book is a confession to his wife on how molesting their son has grown completely out of control. This is supported by Isaiah's accusation that Sidney was the one to initiate it, and thus they're both equally at fault.
* BigBad: [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation Depending on who you ask]], Isaiah and Sidney could equally be this. Initially, the audience is led to believe that Isaiah is the villain, due to his sexual abuse of his father, but his HannibalLecture to him near the end implies that Sidney abused him first, and it snowballed from there. Considering there is no indication of abuse from the father's end, the possibility that Isaiah is simply UsefulNotes/VictimBlaming him is still open.

* BystanderSyndrome: Some of the film's most potent FridgeHorror lies in Joan, who on multiple occasions was made fully aware of Isaiah's abuse of Sidney but chose not to do anything, likely prolonging the abuse. Even worse is that in her final conversation with Isaiah, she reveals that she'd seen the signs of his abuse in Sidney ''since it began''.
* CaughtWithYourPantsDown: The film opens with Sidney walking in on Isaiah masturbating to a picture. He tries to reduce the awkwardness by giving him a speech that it's a natural thing to do and then leaves, after which we find out that the picture was of Sidney.

* ExtremeDoormat: Sidney is this for his son, as he makes little to no effort to stand up to his son. Combine this with PushoverParents.
* FanDisservice: Isaiah manages to give oral sex in the most uncomfortable way imaginable; looking more like a rat chewing gnawing through a trash bag rather than a romantic partner, not helped by the fact Sidney is obviously not enjoying the experience.

* LeaveTheCameraRunning: After Joan is forced to kill Isaiah, the camera lingers on a static shot of her [[BrokenTears sobbing in despair]] for quite some time, allowing the emotional weight of the situation to sit in.
* LookBothWays: Justified; Sidney is so torn up by the aforementioned HannibalLecture he runs off in a daze and is hit by a van before he can get out of the way. One could also interpret this as a suicide, which is perfectly understandable given the circumstances.

* OpenSaysMe: A locked bathroom door is no match for Isaiah.
* ParentalIncest: A one-sided, forced, incestuous relationship between Isaiah and his dad. A rare example where the ''child'' is the abuser and the parent is the victim.

* RapeDiscretionShot: The movie does this twice.
** The first is when Isaiah is unbuckling Sidney's pants in order to personally pleasure him. The camera pans to Sidney's uncomfortable face right before the underwear comes down.
** The second is during Sidney's confessional essay; he appears to be writing down one of the many times he was taken advantage of by Isaiah, but the only thing we see is that the experience "almost tore (his) mouth"
** The third is when Isaiah rapes Sidney in the bathtub. Right after Isaiah kicks the door down, the film cuts to Joan watching TV and trying to drown out Sidney's cries by increasing the volume.

* WithinArmsReach: Isaiah tries to kill his mother Joan by shoving her head into the fireplace. As he's doing so, she manages to grab a nearby fire poker and [[MusclesAreMeaningless bludgeon him to death with it.]]

* YouMonster: Joan calls her son out for inadvertently killing his dad, citing the words of this trope verbatim.

* SpringtimeForHitler: Ari Aster stated that, after seeing past works made by fellow alums, he chose to make the worst thing he could make at American Film Institute, which is one of the most respected film schools in the United States but also an industry school that encourages their students to make more safe and conventional movies. Little did he know that many film critics would embrace it more for its genuine merits than its shock values.