History Main / ManHug

Related to AirHugging. May be a sign that two characters are HeterosexualLifePartners. [[EmotionalBruiser Men who aren't afraid to hug]] also don't tend to be afraid to shed ManlyTears. Subtrope of HandshakeSubstitute.

Therefore, when two men hug, it usually indicates that they are [[HeterosexualLifePartners close friends]], brothers ([[ThickerThanWater in blood]] or [[BloodBrothers in spirit]]) or [[FireForgedFriends trusted comrades-in-arms]]. This is the Man Hug, also known as Dapping Up.

* In the movie ''Film/{{Houseguest}}'', Sinbad poses as a family friend of an affluent family. When he meets Phil Hartman's character at the airport, he quickly finds himself the awkward recipient of the Waist Hug Limpet Cling.
* At the end of ''Film/KangarooJack'', Charlie and Louis hug, resulting in the following quote (first line paraphrased):
--> '''Jessie:''' C'mon guys, the chopper's leaving! \\
'''Louis:''' Just a minute, we're having a very intimate, non-gay moment.
* An incredibly awkward example between Kirk and David in ''[[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan The Wrath of Khan]]''.
** Subverted in ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier''. After [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu Spock saves him from a]] SufficientlyAdvancedAlien, Kirk is about to hug him when Spock says quietly, "Captain, please, not in front of the Klingons."

* In ''Film/BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure'', Bill and Ted hug each other in relief after a close brush with death in the Middle Ages -- and then [[RealMenHateAffection pull away]], both blurting, "Fag!"

* In the movie ''Film/{{Houseguest}}'', Sinbad poses as a family friend of an affluent family. When he meets Phil Hartman's character at the airport, he quickly finds himself the awkward recipient of the Waist Hug Limpet Cling.

* In ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn'', Seth Gecko gives his brother Richard one of these after reading him the riot act for raping and killing their hostage, but while assuring him that everything will be fine once they get to Mexico.

* In ''Film/{{Blade}}'', the title character exchanges a brotherly hug with a contact who supplies him with his garlic extract.
* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''
** Frodo and Sam share a big, tearful hug in ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' after Sam risks drowning to accompany Frodo to Mordor.
** Other examples from the trilogy are Gimli and Aragorn when the latter turns up alive at Helm's Deep in ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers The Two Towers]]'', and Boromir and Faramir in a flashback following the recapture of Osgiliath.
* ''Film/TheHobbitAnUnexpectedJourney'':
** We have Thorin hugging a surprised Bilbo, after [[ArsonMurderAndLifesaving he rebukes]] [[AngerBornOfWorry the hobbit]] for [[spoiler: facing down Azog and a pack of wargs to prevent Thorin being decapitated.]]
-->'''Thorin''': I have never been so wrong in all my life.
** Gandalf and Elrond share a brief embrace when they meet again at Rivendell. Dwalin and Balin are shown hugging and wearily butting heads in a flashback to Azanulbizar, happy to see each other alive.
* ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'':
** The [[Film/BackToTheFuture1 first movie]], after Doc Brown assures Marty that everything will be alright, he rushes upon him with a hug that left the Doc wondering how much it actually meant for him.
** In ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII'', Doc hugs Marty when the latter turns up in 1885.
* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Alex Summers and Charles Xavier haven't seen each other in two decades, and their greeting is a handshake which promptly turns into a warm embrace. This gesture is noticeably more intimate than the straightforward handshake shared between Havok and Hank [=McCoy=] (a former classmate). It hints that Alex feels a greater degree of fondness and esteem for Professor X, whom he had once looked up to as a father figure and who had played a pivotal role in his life when Alex was a teenager.
* In ''Film/FortyTwo'', Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey gives one to Jackie Robinson after the latter suffers a HeroicBSOD.
* In ''Film/FullMetalJacket'', Joker and Cowboy have a rather heartfelt one when they are reunited.
* ''Film/RememberTheTitans'':
** Initially PlayedForLaughs when Louis Lastik gives Coach Boone a [[TenderTears tearful hug]] while saying "I'm eligible." Turns out he's happy because Boone just helped him get accepted to college.
** FireForgedFriends Julius and Gerry also share a few.

* In ''Film/MichielDeRuyter'', there were several of these after the Dutch fleet captured The Royal Charles and destroyed a big part of the English fleet.
* Maverick and Iceman at the end of ''Film/TopGun''.
* ''Film/TheBluesBrothers'' begins with one, when Elwood picks up Jake who is fresh out of prison.

* Finn and Poe have an epic man hug upon being reunited near the end of ''Film/TheForceAwakens''. Notably, they have already bonded previously while escaping from the Kylo Ren's Star Destroyer at the very beginning of the film, but then lost each other in the ensuing starfighter crash and never got to formalize their bond, so to speak. Their hug thus serves as a long-delayed payoff of the setup at the start of the story.

* In ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions'', Neo and Morpheus share one before parting ways.
* In the ''Film/NineEleven'' documentary made by the Naudet brothers[[note]] They were doing a documentary on the NYFD that ended up being one on the terrorist attack[[/note]], the firefighters returning to the station share plenty of these, relieved that everyone is safe. On of the brothers who has made it back pesters the firemen about the other until the other brother finally walks in. At this point, they do their own version of this trope, complete with tears (until that moment, each had feared that the other was dead).

* ''Series/FellowTravelers'': At the hunting cabin, Hawkins Fuller comforts his former lover Tim Laughlin with a hug when the latter is distressed over the fact that he could spend a dozen years in jail for destroying federal property (specifically breaking into government offices to burn draft cards for UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar) among other felony charges. Their embrace becomes more sensual when Hawk whispers "I've missed you, [[AffectionateNickname Skippy]]" and then kisses Tim's neck -- likely his intention is to initiate foreplay -- but Tim tells him to stop and pulls away.

* ''Series/ThirtyRock'' - Jack is dismayed to find his new boss is a big proponent of the man-hug, and they need to last ten seconds.

* ''Series/HoratioHornblower'', "Retribution": Horatio hugs Archie Kennedy, his fellow lieutenant and closest friend after he finds out that Archie was hiding from him that he had been shot during a battle.[[spoiler:Horatio's very shaken because it's actually a Mortal Wound Reveal]]. Showing affection among men wasn't uncommon during Regency period and in WoodenShipsAndIronMen genre.

* In ''Film/BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure'', Bill and Ted hug each other in relief after a close brush with death in the Middle Ages -- and then [[AccidentalHug pull away]], both blurting, "Fag!"

-->[[MemeticMutation where doing it man where MAKING THIS HAPEN]]

* ''Webcomic/SweetBroAndHellaJeff'' features the "bro hug bump", which is presented with [[MundaneMadeAwesome as much dramatic buildup and as many superlatives as possible]].

** The [[Film/BackToTheFuture first movie]], after Doc Brown assures Marty that everything will be alright, he rushes upon him with a hug that left the Doc wondering how much it actually meant for him.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': In the third episode, Louis and Jonah greet each other with a hug because they're ChildhoodFriends who haven't seen each other in years.

* Lampshaded in the ''Literature/ChroniclesOfNarnia'', when the narrator explains that since Peter is King, it isn't girly of him to be hugging his men. Or talking animals. He doesn't just hug them, he ''kisses'' them as well. (Though probably not on the lips.) Specifically, in the scene in Prince Caspian when Peter and Edmund arrive, Peter kisses the badger on the head in (gratitude? reward? greeting?) some kind of affection, because the badgers never wavered in their belief that Old Narnia would return to power.

* In Creator/GrahamMcNeill's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Literature/{{Ultramarines}} book ''The Killing Ground'', Uriel and Pasanius embrace when they are reunited after the first two test by the Grey Knights -- just before Leodagarius comments on Pasanius's loyalty and Uriel describes it as [[PowerOfFriendship friendship]].

* Andy and Red at the end of ''Film’TheShawshankRedemption''.

* Andy and Red at the end of ‘’Film/TheShawshankRedemption’’.

** Andy and Red at the end of ‘’Film/TheShawshankRedemption’’.

Nowadays, in the western world, [[RealMenHateAffection displays of affection between men are discouraged]], on the theory that they are too "girly", [[AmbiguouslyGay or indicative of homosexuality]]. A congratulatory clap on the shoulder or back? Fine. Shaking hands or bumping fists? No problem. Hugging and kissing? Not so much.