---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Going to a movie so you won't be offended…"
description: "\"Going to a movie so you won't be offended is like eating potato chips made with Olestra; you avoid the dangers of the real thing, but your insides fill..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/roger-ebert-655_avoid_going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offende_2537909.jpg"
---

#  Going to a movie so you won't be offended is like eating…

![“Going to a movie so you won't be offended is like eating potato chips made with Olestra; you avoid the dangers of the real thing, but your insides fill up with synthetic runny stuff.” quote by Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/roger-ebert-655_avoid_going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offende_2537909.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/roger-ebert-655_avoid_going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offende_2537909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/roger-ebert-655_avoid_going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offende_2537909.jpg)

> “Going to a movie so you won't be offended is like eating potato chips made with Olestra; you avoid the dangers of the real thing, but your insides fill up with synthetic runny stuff.”

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Avoiding real discomfort by choosing safe, artificial substitutes leads to a hollow, unsatisfying experience.

**In simple terms:** Choosing safety over authenticity feels empty.

Key Takeaway

Embrace authentic experiences, even if uncomfortable.

Themes

authenticity comfort zones media criticism

Mood

critical wry

Type

cultural observational

When to use this quote

- movie watching
- food choices
- social media consumption
- risk‑taking

Key Concepts

psychology culture consumerism

Questions to Reflect On

- What “synthetic” choices do you make to avoid discomfort?
- How might confronting the real improve your life?

A Different Perspective

Artificial substitutes may still cause hidden harm.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid/) [Avoid Dangers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-dangers-237768/) [Chips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chips/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Going Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-movie-398317/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Offended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offended/) [Olestra Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olestra-avoid-1406864/) [Potato Chip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potato-chip/) [Potato chips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potato-chips/) [Potatoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potatoes/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-things/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Synthetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/synthetic/) [Synthetic Runny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/synthetic-runny-1406865/)

## Related quotes

> [I always lov'd Precaution, and took care to avoid Dangers. But when a thing was past, I ever had Philosophy to be easie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-centlivre/i-always-lov-d-precaution-and-took-care-to-avoid-dangers-but-when-a/)

[Susanna Centlivre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-centlivre/)

> [Life is always full of dangers and I don't think one should avoid dangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/life-is-always-full-of-dangers-and-i-don-t-think-one-should-avoid/)

[Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/)

> [I don't think you go to a play to forget, or to a movie to be distracted. I think life generally is a distraction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-noonan/i-don-t-think-you-go-to-a-play-to-forget-or-to-a-movie-to-be/)

[Tom Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-noonan/)

> [As far as me going out to a movie or going out to eat, and people coming up, that's fine. I love that. I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-johnson/as-far-as-me-going-out-to-a-movie-or-going-out-to-eat-and-people/)

[Larry Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-johnson/)

> [The pieces of "Please Give" just did fit together. I'm very comfortable with the ensemble. I thought this was just going to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/the-pieces-of-please-give-just-did-fit-together-i-m-very-comfortable/)

[Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/)

> [When I did my first film I kind of fell into it. I got cast in this movie called 2:37... the director, Murali K…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-palmer/when-i-did-my-first-film-i-kind-of-fell-into-it-i-got-cast-in-this/)

[Teresa Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-palmer/)

> [It's not like I'm going to go and become a movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-biden/it-s-not-like-i-m-going-to-go-and-become-a-movie-star/)

[Ashley Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-biden/)

> [Going to a movie is a two-hour experience; at $7.50 for a ticket, you are valuing your time at far less than the minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-siskel/going-to-a-movie-is-a-two-hour-experience-at-7-50-for-a-ticket-you/)

[Gene Siskel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-siskel/)

> [I think they went with the idea that people know the story pretty much- knowing that he's going to take her when she's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-kruger/i-think-they-went-with-the-idea-that-people-know-the-story-pretty/)

[Diane Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-kruger/)

> [Going after any movie there is a lot of competition to try and get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/going-after-any-movie-there-is-a-lot-of-competition-to-try-and-get-it/)

[Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/)

> [Paris is a place where, for me, just walking down a street that I've never been down before is like going to a movie...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-anderson/paris-is-a-place-where-for-me-just-walking-down-a-street-that-i-ve/)

[Wes Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-anderson/)

> [Originally, 'Popular' was going to be a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-murphy/originally-popular-was-going-to-be-a-movie/)

[Ryan Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-murphy/)

> [To be honest, we have no control over what's going on with a movie, much less what people are going to think of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/to-be-honest-we-have-no-control-over-what-s-going-on-with-a-movie/)

[Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/)

> [I watched movies, obviously, just like anybody else, but there was nothing to make me think, 'I'm going to go to L.A. and become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/i-watched-movies-obviously-just-like-anybody-else-but-there-was/)

[Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/)

> [There's nothing I hate more than going to see a movie and thinking, 'That could have been an hour shorter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-russo/there-s-nothing-i-hate-more-than-going-to-see-a-movie-and-thinking/)

[Joe Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-russo/)

## More by Roger Ebert

> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [I am, beneath everything else, a fan. I was fixed in this mode as a young boy and am awed by people who take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-am-beneath-everything-else-a-fan-i-was-fixed-in-this-mode-as-a/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [“We’d had a revelation. This was the direction American movies should take: into idiosyncratic characters, into dialogue with an ear for the vulgar and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/we-d-had-a-revelation-this-was-the-direction-american-movies-should/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [“Most courtroom movies feel it necessary to end with a clear-cut verdict. But 12 Angry Men never states whether the defendant is innocent or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/most-courtroom-movies-feel-it-necessary-to-end-with-a-clear-cut/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [What every human being should do is eat a vegetarian diet based on whole foods. Period. That's it. Animal protein is bad for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/what-every-human-being-should-do-is-eat-a-vegetarian-diet-based-on/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [I value the kind of prayer when you stand at the edge of the sea, or beneath a tree, or smell a flower, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-value-the-kind-of-prayer-when-you-stand-at-the-edge-of-the-sea-or/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [“One of my delights in these books, on the other hand, has been to include movies not often cited as “great”—some because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/one-of-my-delights-in-these-books-on-the-other-hand-has-been-to/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [A movie isn't good or bad based on its politics. It's usually good or bad for other reasons, though you might agree or disagree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/a-movie-isn-t-good-or-bad-based-on-its-politics-it-s-usually-good-or/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [It is human nature to look away from illness. We don't enjoy a reminder of our own fragile mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-human-nature-to-look-away-from-illness-we-don-t-enjoy-a/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [ Gene \[Siskel\] often mentioned something François Truffaut once told him: the most beautiful sight in a movie theater is to walk down to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/gene-siskel-often-mentioned-something-fran-ois-truffaut-once-told-him/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/a-movie-is-not-about-what-it-is-about-it-is-about-how-it-is-about-it/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [James Cameron's films have always been distinguished by ground-breaking technical excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/james-cameron-s-films-have-always-been-distinguished-by-ground/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [Friends don't let Jackasses drink and drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/friends-don-t-let-jackasses-drink-and-drive/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [I think we have to get beyond the idea that we have to categorize people. We can now have action movies with two stars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-think-we-have-to-get-beyond-the-idea-that-we-have-to-categorize/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

[Explore all 427 Roger Ebert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

## More Avoid quotes

> [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/)

[David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/)

> [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/)

[Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/)

> [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/)

[Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/)

> [I avoid processed food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-hopkins/i-avoid-processed-food/)

[Bernard Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-hopkins/)

> [I avoid envy at all costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-winkleman/i-avoid-envy-at-all-costs/)

[Claudia Winkleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-winkleman/)

> [Patients' lives are more important than embryos. I do want to avoid the use of embryos if possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinya-yamanaka/patients-lives-are-more-important-than-embryos-i-do-want-to-avoid-the/)

[Shinya Yamanaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinya-yamanaka/)

> [I studiously avoid any academic dissections of the play and any kind of previous experience of playing. For me, it's all in the play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/i-studiously-avoid-any-academic-dissections-of-the-play-and-any-kind/)

[Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/)

> [The mark of the man is how he responds to situations. You're not going to avoid tough times. We're all over the barrel some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/the-mark-of-the-man-is-how-he-responds-to-situations-you-re-not-going/)

[Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/)

> [God knows we are subtle creatures who are more than able to use candour to avoid acknowledging our deceptions of others and ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/god-knows-we-are-subtle-creatures-who-are-more-than-able-to-use/)

[Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/)

> [Because Techstars is an intensely productive three-month program in which product development and iteration are primary goals, we're constantly looking to streamline our program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cohen/because-techstars-is-an-intensely-productive-three-month-program-in/)

[David Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cohen/)

> [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. The ethos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/pacifism-as-a-mass-movement-aims-to-avoid-suffering-pacifists-often/)

[Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/)

> [Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/last-but-not-least-avoid-cliches-like-the-plague/)

[William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/)

> [When I was younger, I used humour as a tool to avoid getting too serious with people - if there was deep emotional stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/when-i-was-younger-i-used-humour-as-a-tool-to-avoid-getting-too/)

[Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/)

> [I'm quite tactile, so I like fabrics that feel good. I try to avoid fabrics that crease - especially with my son. When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/i-m-quite-tactile-so-i-like-fabrics-that-feel-good-i-try-to-avoid/)

[Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/)

[Browse all 985 Avoid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Going to a movie so you won't be offended is like eating potato chips made with Olestra; you avoid the dangers of the real thing, but your insides fill up with synthetic runny stuff.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Roger Ebert"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offended-is-like-eating-potato-chips/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Avoid"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offended-is-like-eating-potato-chips/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/roger-ebert-655_avoid_going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offende_2537909.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/roger-ebert-655_avoid_going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offende_2537909.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/roger-ebert-655_avoid_going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offende_2537909.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Going to a movie so you won't be offended is like eating potato chips made with Olestra; you avoid the…” — Roger Ebert",
                "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": "Roger Ebert",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Going to a movie so you...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offended-is-like-eating-potato-chips/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/going-to-a-movie-so-you-won-t-be-offended-is-like-eating-potato-chips/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
