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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tough_guys_dont_dance.jpg]]

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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tough_guys_dont_dance.jpg]]
jpg Apparently, they can't act, either.]]



* HowWeGotHere: The film begins with Tim waking up from his bender and going back to his steps to find out what happened.

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* HowWeGotHere: The film begins with Tim waking up from his bender and going back to retracing his steps to find out what happened.happened.
* NeverTrustATitle: The title sounds like a lighthearted comedy, when the actual movie is supposed to be a serious drama.
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->''"Oh God, oh man! Oh God, oh man!"''

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->''"Oh ->''[[SignatureScene "Oh God, oh man! man!]] [[JustHereForGodzilla Oh God, oh man!"''man!"]]''

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* GilliganCut: Madeline warns Tim about the dangers of dealing coke. “I’ll never get busted,” Tim promises. Immediately the scene cuts to him in a holding cell with a bunch of rough-looking types.
-->'''Inmate''': Whaddaya in for?
-->'''Tim''': Dealing.

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* GilliganCut: Madeline warns Tim about the dangers of dealing coke. “I’ll "I'll never get busted,” busted," Tim promises. Immediately the scene cuts to him in a holding cell with a bunch of rough-looking types.
-->'''Inmate''': -->'''Inmate:''' Whaddaya in for?
-->'''Tim''': -->'''Tim:''' Dealing.


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* UnusualEuphemism: Madeleine at one point brags to Tim about her new marriage: "Mr. Regency and I make out five times a night! That's what I call him, Mister Five!" It's pretty clear Madeline means sex when she talks about how often she and her husband "make out". It comes of as just "we tongue-kiss passionately five times a night."
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Added DiffLines:

* AnachronicOrder: Of the most confusing kind. A majority of this film is told in flashback, but the flashbacks happen in random order, and trying to piece them back together in the order they happened is an exercise in frustration. It doesn't help that there are no visual cues whatsoever; hairstyles and ages stay the same, even years apart, and there aren't even any very helpful voiceover cues or title cards. It can be the most confusing when you think you're watching one time period when a character who's supposed to be dead shows up again.
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* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: In most scenes, Patty Laraine's accent sounds like an exaggerated southern Belle type voice. In others, particularly the scene where she first meets Tim, the accent is closer to "stroke victim." In fact, there is a stroke victim in this film who is more intelligible.

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* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: In most scenes, Patty Laraine's accent sounds like an exaggerated southern Belle type voice. In others, particularly the scene where she first meets confesses she wants to leave her husband and ultimately be with Tim, the accent is closer to "stroke victim." In fact, there is a stroke victim in this film who is more intelligible.
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-->’’’Inmate’’’: Whaddaya in for?
-->’’’Tim’’’: Dealing.

to:

-->’’’Inmate’’’: -->'''Inmate''': Whaddaya in for?
-->’’’Tim’’’: -->'''Tim''': Dealing.
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Added DiffLines:

* GilliganCut: Madeline warns Tim about the dangers of dealing coke. “I’ll never get busted,” Tim promises. Immediately the scene cuts to him in a holding cell with a bunch of rough-looking types.
-->’’’Inmate’’’: Whaddaya in for?
-->’’’Tim’’’: Dealing.
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Tim Madden (Creator/RyanONeal), a former bartender and ex-con, currently struggling to make a living as a writer and who is prone to blackouts, awakens from a two-week bender to discover a tattoo reading "Madeline" on his arm, and a bloodbath in his car. He shortly finds a woman's severed head in his marijuana stash in the woods. He then must flash back to the events that led to this, with the help of his former girlfriend Madeleine (Isabella Rossellini).

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Tim Madden (Creator/RyanONeal), a former bartender and ex-con, currently struggling to make a living as a writer and who is prone to blackouts, awakens from a two-week bender to discover a tattoo reading "Madeline" on his arm, and a bloodbath in his car. He shortly finds a woman's severed head in his marijuana stash in the woods. He then must flash back to the events that led to this, with the help of his former girlfriend Madeleine (Isabella Rossellini).(Creator/IsabellaRossellini).
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->''"Oh man, oh God! Oh man, oh God!"''

to:

->''"Oh man, God, oh God! man! Oh man, God, oh God!"''man!"''



* BigOMG: The "Oh, man! Oh, God!" from Tim.

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* BigOMG: The "Oh, man! God! Oh, God!" man!" from Tim.



* WhamLine: The aforementioned VoiceoverLetter, which horrifies Tim, and leads to him saying "Oh man! Oh god!" over and over.
-->'''Madeleine''': My husband is having an affair with your wife. I don't think we should talk about it... unless you're prepared... to kill them.

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* WhamLine: The aforementioned VoiceoverLetter, which horrifies Tim, and leads to him saying "Oh man! God! Oh god!" man!" over and over.
-->'''Madeleine''': -->'''Madeleine:''' My husband is having an affair with your wife. I don't think we should talk about it... unless you're prepared... to kill them.
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Added DiffLines:

* WhamLine: The aforementioned VoiceoverLetter, which horrifies Tim, and leads to him saying "Oh man! Oh god!" over and over.
-->'''Madeleine''': My husband is having an affair with your wife. I don't think we should talk about it... unless you're prepared... to kill them.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


Tim Madden (Ryan O'Neal), a former bartender and ex-con, currently struggling to make a living as a writer and who is prone to blackouts, awakens from a two-week bender to discover a tattoo reading "Madeline" on his arm, and a bloodbath in his car. He shortly finds a woman's severed head in his marijuana stash in the woods. He then must flash back to the events that led to this, with the help of his former girlfriend Madeleine (Isabella Rossellini).

to:

Tim Madden (Ryan O'Neal), (Creator/RyanONeal), a former bartender and ex-con, currently struggling to make a living as a writer and who is prone to blackouts, awakens from a two-week bender to discover a tattoo reading "Madeline" on his arm, and a bloodbath in his car. He shortly finds a woman's severed head in his marijuana stash in the woods. He then must flash back to the events that led to this, with the help of his former girlfriend Madeleine (Isabella Rossellini).
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No longer a trope.


* YourCheatingHeart: Madeleine's husband and Tim's wife had an affair with each other.
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* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: In most scenes, Patty Laraine’s accent sounds like an exaggerated southern Belle type voice. In others, particularly the scene where she first meets Tim, the accent is closer to “stroke victim.” In fact, there is a stroke victim in this film who is more intelligible.

to:

* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: In most scenes, Patty Laraine’s Laraine's accent sounds like an exaggerated southern Belle type voice. In others, particularly the scene where she first meets Tim, the accent is closer to “stroke "stroke victim." In fact, there is a stroke victim in this film who is more intelligible.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: In most scenes, Patty Laraine’s accent sounds like an exaggerated southern Belle type voice. In others, particularly the scene where she first meets Tim, the accent is closer to “stroke victim.” In fact, there is a stroke victim in this film who is more intelligible.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* BigOMG: The "Oh, man! Oh, God!" from Tim.


Added DiffLines:

* TitleDrop: The film features one early on when Time ask his father Dougy about his drinking:
-->'''Dougy:''' Six months ago, they told me to stop or I was dead. I stopped. Now the spirits circle around my bed and they tell me to dance. I tell 'em, "Tough guys don't dance." They answer me, "Keep dancin'."
* VoiceoverLetter: Madeleine is heard in a voiceover when Tim is reading her letter about her husband having an affair with Tim's wife.


Added DiffLines:

* YourCheatingHeart: Madeleine's husband and Tim's wife had an affair with each other.
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Added DiffLines:

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tough_guys_dont_dance.jpg]]

->''"Oh man, oh God! Oh man, oh God!"''
-->-- '''Tim Madden'''

''Tough Guys Don't Dance'' is a 1987 crime mystery film noir drama film written and directed by Creator/NormanMailer based on his novel of the same name.

Tim Madden (Ryan O'Neal), a former bartender and ex-con, currently struggling to make a living as a writer and who is prone to blackouts, awakens from a two-week bender to discover a tattoo reading "Madeline" on his arm, and a bloodbath in his car. He shortly finds a woman's severed head in his marijuana stash in the woods. He then must flash back to the events that led to this, with the help of his former girlfriend Madeleine (Isabella Rossellini).
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!!This film contains examples of:
* HowWeGotHere: The film begins with Tim waking up from his bender and going back to his steps to find out what happened.
* OffWithHisHead: Tim finds a woman's severed head alongside him, which really puts a lot of pressure on his WhatDidIDoLastNight dilemma. [[spoiler:Soon another severed head turns up, that of Patty Lareine.]]
* WhatDidIDoLastNight: Tim wakes up from a blackout to find himself in a strange situation, included a woman's severed head.
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