The Godfather is an incredible film that everyone has watched. Right? Wrong!
It turns out a lot of us are big fat fibbers who would happily lie about watching a film in order to save face or avoid an awkward conversation.
From lying about seeing the foreign language film getting a lot of Oscar buzz, to having watched Hitchcock’s repertoire, it seems that many of us are partial to a white lie or two.
Unfortunately, the films that we are lying about are frequently the most beloved, or at least the most revered.
But should we feel embarrassed, or is it something many of us have done to save face? One psychologist explained to Metro that its totally normal, and depending on your gender or age, your lying habits might be different…
Popular films that people pretend to have seen
Reader’s Digest confirmed that a lot of us are lying about watching the classics.
This includes ‘great’ films such as Citizen Kane, Casablanca, The Shawshank Redemption, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Shelly Dar, from Therapy Help, explained to Metro why we might feel compelled to lie from time to time – and why we shouldn’t feel too bad about it!
‘It’s often about belonging. We want to be part of the cultural conversation, saying yes avoids feeling left out or judged for not keeping up. There’s also a status element. Classic films or critically acclaimed titles can carry intellectual or social weight, so agreeing you’ve seen them protects self-image.’
She explained that it speaks to a need for approval, and while a harmless white lie might not cause too much of an issue, it can be a sign of insecurity.
‘Deeper down, it’s about impression management. We curate how others see us, especially in group settings or dating, and small lies like this can feel harmless, even though they reveal a lot about our need for approval.’
But it’s not just about insecurity
Asking around the Metro office, there were actually a wide variety of reasons some of us choose to tell a white lie or two.
One journalist revealed that she lies about watching Pulp Fiction to avoid having to speak about the film: ‘Male Tarantino heads will monologue at you either way, might as well avoid them lecturing me too.’
Another confessed to lying about watching the second and third Hobbit movies, as they have a Lord of the Rings tattoo and didn’t want to have to explain that they hated the first film so much they couldn’t bring themselves to watching the second and third films.
But a common theme emerged, with colleagues lying in their youth to impress.
‘As a dating tip, teenagers of my generation were always told by wiser heads to pretend to girls you fancy that you’ve seen The Notebook,’ one coworker confessed.
Another revealed he went through an ordeal trying to get his hands on a copy of Dirty Dancing to impress a girl at school, after lying about being a huge fan of the Patrick Swayze film.
Shelly explained that this is a very common story.
‘Men may mention a rom-com as their favourite movie, like The Holiday or Mamma Mia, to seem emotionally deep or in touch.
‘It’s rarely about deceit. It’s impression management, a small way to signal sensitivity, empathy, or shared emotional taste. Saying they’ve seen Dirty Dancing or The Notebook becomes a shortcut to connection, almost like saying, I get you. It’s a harmless example of how much people want to be seen in a positive light, especially when attraction is involved.’
She added that women are more likely to lie to avoid discomfort, rather than to impress, like their male counterparts.
‘Gender wise, I think there’s a small difference in why people do it. Men might exaggerate to seem more knowledgeable or interesting, while women often do it to keep conversations smooth and avoid awkwardness, especially in mixed or professional settings,’ she explained.
Generational split
It turns out your age may also be a factor when it comes to what kind of film you’d pretend to watch.
Shelly explains there’s a ‘generational split in what people feel the need to lie about,’ with older generations lying to seem educated, and younger people just trying to stay on trend.
‘Older generations tend to reference more intellectual or classic films, think Citizen Kane or The Godfather, because cultural knowledge was once a marker of sophistication or education.
‘Younger generations, on the other hand, are more likely to fake familiarity with trending shows or films that dominate social media. It’s less about status, more about staying in the loop and avoiding that “you haven’t seen it?!”‘ reaction.
Shelly concluded: ‘It’s not always insecurity. Sometimes it’s social shorthand, so we say “oh yes, great film” to move the conversation on, not to deceive.’
So if you’ve ever lied about watching a film you most certainly haven’t watched, don’t worry, as apparently we are all doing it.
And while there are many reasons why people might be lying, it’s usually to try and foster a deeper human connection – which is actually rather sweet.
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