Great movies where absolutely nothing happens.

Can't think of any recent movies off the top of my head...

Stalker (Tarkovsky) is easily one of my all-time favorites. Stalker (Tarkovsky) (1979) Just revisited the Wikipedia page for Stalker (Tarkovsky)—man, that film is something else. It’s one of those heavy, hypnotic experiences that stays with you long after the credits roll. Honestly, even if you aren't a die-hard cinephile, there's just something about the atmosphere Tarkovsky builds that feels totally unique. It's slow, sure, but it pulls you in. Definitely worth a deep dive if you haven't sat with it lately. An Italian film. Vertigo (1960) Just took a deep dive into the history behind *Vertigo*. Honestly—what a trip. It’s one of those films that just sticks in your brain long after the credits roll. Even when you think you know what's coming, it still manages to pull the rug out from under you. Definitely worth a look if you haven't seen it yet—it's a total classic for a reason..

Like, say, from America... The Last Tycoon. Just finished it—man, what a ride. It’s one of those films that really sticks in your head long after the credits roll. Definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it yet. Starring Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson.

I'm right there with restlessfox5 on this one—Stalker (Tarkovsky) is easily my number one favorite too.
Though, I wouldn't go so far as to say nothing is happening. This movie is "something completely different" compared to 99% of what you see on screen; in a film like this, the actual plot lives and breathes within the dialogue.

Stalker (Tarkovsky) is an absolute masterpiece.
It brings to mind films like Lucas's American Graffiti, then Linklater's Tape, Before Sunrise / Sunset, Waking Life, followed by Lumet's 12 Angry Men, and Malle's My Dinner with Andre...

restlessfox5, you opened this thread and immediately dropped a total nonsense take... Saying Stalker (Tarkovsky) is a movie where nothing happens? I guess movies without car chases, shootouts, or explosions are just empty shells with zero plot? Stalker is a film that is incredibly active in terms of consciousness and contemplation, and it demands total concentration from the viewer. That argument just doesn't hold water.

Besides, you didn't provide any context for this thread, so we don't even know what "nothing happens" actually means to you.

neonsurfer6 said:Lumet's 12 Angry Men

That won't be the case either. It's a film where only the setting remains static, but the action itself is very much alive. In fact, there's a complete 180-degree shift happening within that film!!!

I can't get behind the rest of these points either.
Personally, I don't think there's really a movie out there where absolutely nothing happens from any perspective (at least, nothing I've ever seen). It's just a matter of different pacing and where the emphasis is placed.
Take Jim Jarmusch's "Stranger Than Paradise"—it comes close to feeling like nothing significant is happening, but that's purely because of Jarmusch himself and his specific creative goals at the time.

Nothing actually happens in Clerks, yet it’s an absolute masterpiece.

The Tenant by Roman Polanski definitely hits that mark for me—just an incredible movie with an atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife, even if there isn't much of a traditional plot or action going on.

Mark Wood79 said:restlessfox5, you opened this thread and immediately dropped something pretty silly... Saying Stalker is a movie where nothing happens? I mean, aren't all movies without explosions, car chases, or shootouts basically "empty" or lacking action? Stalker is actually incredibly active in terms of consciousness and deep thought—it demands total focus from the viewer. That take just doesn't land for me.

Plus, you didn't even give us an intro here, so we have no clue what "nothing happens" actually means to you.

.

Imagine if someone filmed a movie where the two of us and a few others just sat around discussing this stuff all night.
If some high-brow European director picked it up, it might actually turn out to be a decent flick.

Just hanging out at Joe's Diner.

Vertigo, and such a long one at that🙏

A completely misplaced assumption. Films like that don't exist. Just like novels or short stories. You won't even find poetry where "nothing happens."

Nothing actually happens in these movies, unless you look away from the screen and hit mute. Even then, something is happening—you're just distracted. People claim nothing happens in Stalker (Tarkovsky) or The Tenant, yet they write entire books about them. Give me a break.

I don't even get what "nothing happens" means here. Are we talking about static cameras and too much dialogue, or too much action and not enough talk? What exactly is the criteria?

Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes. Absolutely nothing happens, yet the movie is great.

Gary James88 said:Nothing actually happens in these films—unless you look away from the screen and hit mute—and even then, something *is* happening, it’s just that your attention is drifting elsewhere. People claim nothing happens in Stalker (Tarkovsky) or The Tenant, yet you could write entire novels about them. Give me a break.

I don't even get what people mean when they say "nothing happens"—are we talking about movies with static cameras and way too much dialogue, or maybe too much action and not enough talking? What's the actual metric here?

I'm with you on this, but I still feel the need to bring up The Class🙂

...still waiting on that thread titled "great movies where the protagonist only ever walks on the right side of the road"...☕

So, come on—what's yours?

Gary James88 said:People are out here claiming absolutely nothing happens in Stalker or Tenant, yet they’re simultaneously acting like both films deserve an entire library of novels written about them. Give me a break.

Take Tenant, for example.
Sure, there’s plenty of plot to chew on, but I can't help but feel like an absurd amount of screen time is wasted on him just wandering through New York, sipping espresso at cafes, hitting up parties, and getting lost in endless stretches of dialogue that don't actually move the needle. That said, I have to admit all that fluff builds this atmosphere that, for me personally, is absolutely flawless. But let's be real: dialogue isn't action. In this movie, nothing truly happens until you hit that final stretch where everything descends into pure madness and suicide. It’s a similar vibe to Stalker.
I suspect that’s exactly what the author of this thread was getting at.

Here is my recommendation for everyone:
The Man from Earth is an absolutely brilliant, high-tension piece of cinema that manages to pull you in without a single traditional action sequence; it’s nothing but pure, unfiltered dialogue.

Honestly, there’s no such thing as a good movie where nothing actually happens... if we're talking about those recent, mediocre flops where the plot just stalls out:
An Education (boring—way too slow even for a drama... it never really gets going, then it just... ends),
Dorian Gray (you think at first like things are finally heating up, but honestly? Even the "tense" parts are just soooo boring)
The last Harry Potter... (the only thing actually happening there is the special effects budget being blown)
Sex and the City (I can't even remember if there was a plot, or if they just spent two hours walking around in expensive rags??

The Man from Earth?

Is that really what we're talking about 😁 here...

Stalker, this disaster is even bigger than Titanic. You’ve got three heads all happening at once, trying to poke at an uncertain future by throwing walnuts at a white ribbon, all while having some guide. It just messes with a confused mind. This isn't even a movie; I guess it's just life.

Amanda Lopez50 said:...just waiting on a thread titled "great movies where the protagonist only ever walks on the right side of the road"...☕

so, alright then. what's yours?

🤣

Gary James88 said:Nothing actually happens in the movie—unless you look away from the screen and hit mute, and even then, something is happening, you just aren't paying attention. People claim nothing happens in Stalker or The Tenant, yet people could write entire novels about both. Please.

I don't really get what "nothing happens" even means here. Are we talking about static camera work and way too much dialogue, or maybe too much action and not enough talk? What's the deal?

I didn't mean that literally *nothing* happens. As for what I meant by it? That's just a subjective take.