--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you thought it was impossible for a…" description: "\"If you thought it was impossible for a film to contain less effective comedy than Date Movie, here's evidence to the contrary.\" — James Berardinelli" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/james-berardinelli-18367_cinema_if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-f_2307549.jpg" --- # If you thought it was impossible for a film to contain… ![“If you thought it was impossible for a film to contain less effective comedy than Date Movie, here's evidence to the contrary.” quote by James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/james-berardinelli-18367_cinema_if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-f_2307549.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/james-berardinelli-18367_cinema_if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-f_2307549.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/james-berardinelli-18367_cinema_if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-f_2307549.jpg) > “If you thought it was impossible for a film to contain less effective comedy than Date Movie, here's evidence to the contrary.” [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously claims that a certain film is even less funny than an already poor example, emphasizing its lack of humor. **In simple terms:** The film is extremely unfunny, worse than a known bad comedy. Key Takeaway Recognize and avoid low‑quality entertainment. Themes humor film criticism expectations Mood critical skeptical Type evaluative humorous When to use this quote - choosing movies - discussing film quality - writing reviews Key Concepts comparative evaluation entertainment standards Questions to Reflect On - What makes a comedy succeed for you? - How do you assess a film’s entertainment value? A Different Perspective Subjectivity may affect humor perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Date](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-date-443317/) [Contrary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrary/) [Date movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/date-movie/) [Effective Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effective-comedy-5468467/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Impossible Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-film-4685825/) [Movie Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-evidence-5468468/) ## Related quotes > [Taking a night off from comedy to go on a date with someone I'm probably not going to like anyway sounds like the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wolf/taking-a-night-off-from-comedy-to-go-on-a-date-with-someone-i-m/) [Michelle Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wolf/) > [Now, it's almost impossible to go out and do a film about a new form of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-spheeris/now-it-s-almost-impossible-to-go-out-and-do-a-film-about-a-new-form/) [Penelope Spheeris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-spheeris/) > [“It’s our first date. I text to say I’m running really late. Do you: a. Wait longer (+3) b. Take the opportunity to retouch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/strategic-lothario/it-s-our-first-date-i-text-to-say-i-m-running-really-late-do-you-a/) [Strategic Lothario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/strategic-lothario/) > [I've made some stupid decisions, so I have to be careful. I once said 'no' to a film that was a number-one hit. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-monk/i-ve-made-some-stupid-decisions-so-i-have-to-be-careful-i-once-said/) [Sophie Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-monk/) > [Horror movie is a great date movie. For dates... maybe grab on to the guy. I just think people love a good scare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-reid/horror-movie-is-a-great-date-movie-for-dates-maybe-grab-on-to-the-guy/) [Tara Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-reid/) > [For some reason, Horror movies, they seem like good date movies. When you go to them it's all high school kids, all over each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/for-some-reason-horror-movies-they-seem-like-good-date-movies-when/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [When is the last time you saw a Lamborghini sale?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-campbell/when-is-the-last-time-you-saw-a-lamborghini-sale/) [Chris Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-campbell/) > [Women became almost our bigger audience. Teenage girls went crazy for my movie. I saw it. I went to theatres all over and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/women-became-almost-our-bigger-audience-teenage-girls-went-crazy-for/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [Don't forget I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-roberts/don-t-forget-i-m-just-a-girl-standing-in-front-of-a-boy-asking-him-to/) [Julia Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-roberts/) > [ I bizarrely think that this \[Sin City\] is the perfect date movie. If a guy took me on a date to see this movie,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-alba/i-bizarrely-think-that-this-sin-city-is-the-perfect-date-movie-if-a/) [Jessica Alba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-alba/) > [The best date movies give you something to talk about. A movie that's a downer is a great way to find out about someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-best-date-movies-give-you-something-to-talk-about-a-movie-that-s/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Valentines Day is being marketed as a Date Movie. I think its more of a First-Date Movie. If your date likes it, do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/valentines-day-is-being-marketed-as-a-date-movie-i-think-its-more-of/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Horror movies are the best date movies. There's no wondering , 'When do I put my arm around her?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/horror-movies-are-the-best-date-movies-there-s-no-wondering-when-do-i/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [“It’s probably long overdue for us to throw out what we think we know about love. Girls have grown up with too many fairy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanee-killen/it-s-probably-long-overdue-for-us-to-throw-out-what-we-think-we-know/) [Stephanee Killen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanee-killen/) > [I always say horror films are great date movies. In the first twenty minutes, you're going to end up in each other's arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-bell/i-always-say-horror-films-are-great-date-movies-in-the-first-twenty/) [Ashley Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-bell/) ## More by James Berardinelli > [There's nothing terribly wrong with The November Man in a serviceable late-night cable TV sort of way but neither is there anything terribly right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/there-s-nothing-terribly-wrong-with-the-november-man-in-a-serviceable/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [Live Free or Die Hard may work better for an audience that doesn't know much about the series is than it will for Die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/live-free-or-die-hard-may-work-better-for-an-audience-that-doesn-t/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [Parodies are hard to do well, as is shown by the mediocrity of so many recent attempts. No matter how ripe a genre is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/parodies-are-hard-to-do-well-as-is-shown-by-the-mediocrity-of-so-many/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [Seventeen years after its intial release, The Empire Strikes Back is still as thrilling and involving as ever. Because of the high quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/seventeen-years-after-its-intial-release-the-empire-strikes-back-is/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [Despite his reputation as one of America's foremost "serious" filmmakers, Oliver Stone's name under the "director" caption does not guarantee a good movie. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/despite-his-reputation-as-one-of-america-s-foremost-serious/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [The Phantom Menace is not a masterpiece, but it's an example of how imagination, craftsmanship, and technological bravura can fashion superior entertainment out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/the-phantom-menace-is-not-a-masterpiece-but-it-s-an-example-of-how/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [The term "godawful" should be used sparingly in connection with motion pictures. With Angels & Demons, however, it seems oddly appropriate. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/the-term-godawful-should-be-used-sparingly-in-connection-with-motion/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [John Wick is a rousing action thriller of the sort rarely encountered in theaters these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/john-wick-is-a-rousing-action-thriller-of-the-sort-rarely-encountered/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [For the most part, however, Lady in the Water comes across as a movie that's too bad to be good, and not bad enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/for-the-most-part-however-lady-in-the-water-comes-across-as-a-movie/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [This is as brain-dead as a movie can be and it assumes the audience will have the I.Q. of a rutabaga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/this-is-as-brain-dead-as-a-movie-can-be-and-it-assumes-the-audience/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [Aside from a couple of signature flourishes, there's nothing to mark Paycheck as the product of acclaimed action director John Woo. In fact, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/aside-from-a-couple-of-signature-flourishes-there-s-nothing-to-mark/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [Those who delight in bad movies and enjoy producing their own unfilmed versions of Mystery Science Theater 3000 may gain a measure of semi-masochistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/those-who-delight-in-bad-movies-and-enjoy-producing-their-own/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [There's good news and bad news about 2 Fast 2 Furious, the moronic follow-up to The Fast and the Furious and a contender for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/there-s-good-news-and-bad-news-about-2-fast-2-furious-the-moronic/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [Looking back at Batman from a distance - after all the hype has dried up and the franchise has at least temporarily been abandoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/looking-back-at-batman-from-a-distance-after-all-the-hype-has-dried/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [Side note to parents: Anyone who thinks 'Dude, Where's My Car' is more appropriate for children than 'American Pie' because it obtained a PG-13…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/side-note-to-parents-anyone-who-thinks-dude-where-s-my-car-is-more/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) [Explore all 35 James Berardinelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you thought it was impossible for a film to contain less effective comedy than Date Movie, here's evidence to the contrary.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Berardinelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-film-to-contain-less-effective/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-film-to-contain-less-effective/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/james-berardinelli-18367_cinema_if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-f_2307549.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/james-berardinelli-18367_cinema_if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-f_2307549.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/james-berardinelli-18367_cinema_if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-f_2307549.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you thought it was impossible for a film to contain less effective comedy than Date Movie, here's…” — James Berardinelli", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Berardinelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you thought it was impossible...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-film-to-contain-less-effective/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/if-you-thought-it-was-impossible-for-a-film-to-contain-less-effective/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```