20 Movies That Switch Genres Mid-Story
![20 Movies That Switch Genres Mid-Story](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/2/876672_320x180.jpg)
If you think about it, there is no real reason for us to associate plot twists with late plot developments. Why couldn’t plot twists come way earlier? And in that case, wouldn’t they change the entire genre of the movie they’re in? And couldn’t we devote a Pictofact to such early plot twists? And couldn’t we write an entire introduction for that Pictofact just with annoying rhetorical questions that go nowhere? We don’t know, could we? Is this it? Are we ourselves getting tired of this bit? Maybe? Alright, we’re done.
In this Pictofact, we don’t examine awesome plot twists (we’re still thinking about that one), but rather movies that feature surprising genre-switching turns right at their mid-point. So you know what this means: spoiler alert. Seriously, this article is nothing but spoilers, because that’s the point: Discussing films that seem all cozy in their genres, but then hit us from out of nowhere with a whole new plot development that transforms their very narrative framework. Is this an awesome idea for a Pictofact or what? It is? No, not this thing with the annoying questions again? Will we begin with From Dusk til Dawn? What do you think?
From Dusk Till Dawn
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 1996 From Dusk Till Dawn After robbing a liquor store with disastrous results, two fast-talking criminals take a family hostage as they try to flee to Mexico. You know what happens next: Salma Hayek. Oh, and vampire. It all turns into a vampire splatter B-flick.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/3/876693.jpg)
Dimension Films
Psycho
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 1960 Psycho Imagine it's 1960. Hitchcock's latest films have been spy thrillers and psychological dramas, so surely this new movie about a woman stealing from her boss deals with her escape, right? Maybe a betrayal here and there? But then she's brutally murdered, and now we're left with a weirdo, his creepy mom, and psychological horror unseen in cinema.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/8/876688.jpg)
Paramount Pictures
Predator
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 1987 Predator John McTiernan's classic could've been sci-fi cheese from the start, or keep its action tone all throughout. Instead of simply being Commando with a monster, though, McTiernan pulls off the tonal shifts fully aware of the gem he's handling. We go from a silly macho actioner to a claustrophobic thriller, and finally to merging the best of both worlds.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/4/876694.jpg)
20th Century Studios
Sunshine
![Movies that switch genres mid-story 2007 Sunshine Danny Boyle's underrated space thriller flick goes from classy Solaris-like type of deal to a classy Jason X thing in no time. The silly reigniting-the- sun premise is directed with slow, brainy sci-fi sophistication, but then the third act kicks in and suddenly we're watching a slashier Event Horizon. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/2/876692.jpg)
Searchlight Pictures
Parasite
![Movies that switch genres mid-story 2019 Parasite If you had the pleasure of seeing Parasite without knowing anything about it, you might have assumed it was a black comedy about a struggling family conning a wealthy one. But as the basement enters the picture, it pulls darker and darker twists you are not ready for - and it all ends with grisly murders. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/1/876691.jpg)
Neon
Не Loves Me, Не Loves Me Not
![Movies that switch genres mid-story 2002 Не Loves Me, Не Loves Me Not Ah yes, a cute French rom-com with the actress from Amélie. For about half an hour, Audrey Tatou plays a quirky girl in an affair with a hunky married doctor. Then the film rewinds and switches gears into psychological thriller territory. It turns out she's delusional, and slowly ruining the man's life. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/9/876699.jpg)
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Abre los Ojos
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 1997 Abre los Ojos The film that inspired Vanilla Sky starts with some dreamy imagery, but is still pure romantic drama stuff. A rich womanizer juggles a crazy ex and his birthday party, and then meets the love of his life. Then there's a car crash, facial disfigurement, and a full-on sci-fi third act. You know, the classic story.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/0/876690.jpg)
Artisan Entertainment
The Sound of Music
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 1965 The Sound of Music In Robert Wise's classic, a fun-loving nun becomes a governess for seven children and teaches their stiff Captain father to just chill out for a second, with singing and prancing results. But by the third act, the love story becomes an intense (and songless) war drama, as the family must escape the Nazis.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/5/876685.jpg)
20th Century Studios
Mother!
![Movies that switch genres mid-story 2017 Mother! The best Lars von Trier movie not made by Lars von Trier, Mother! starts as a psychological drama about a woman trying to reconnect with her neglectful writer husband. Then creepy visitors bring their own issues into their home - and next thing you know, riot cops are brutalizing people and cult followers eat a baby. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/9/876689.jpg)
Paramount Pictures
Miracle Mile
![Movies that switch genres mid-story 1988 Miracle Mile Not a perfect movie, but underrated nonetheless. It starts as a rom-com, but then Harry misses the follow-up to his first dream date with Julie. As he's looking for her, though, nuclear war is announced. CRACKED.COM Goldmun](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/6/876686.jpg)
MGM
The Guest
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 2014 The Guest Adam Wingard's film starts as a drama about a man returning from war and connecting with his deceased friend's family. He's sketchy, so there's a potential thriller thing going on. After like seven genre switches, however, he's revealed to be a super soldier, and big action set pieces ensue, concluding with a slasher ending.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/4/876684.jpg)
Picturehouse
Side Effects
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 2013 Side Effects At first, the movie is a gripping drama about family crises and depression. Then a tone-shifting murder happens, and it all becomes a tense Hitchcockian thriller with De Palma-influenced coolness added on top. Of course, Steven Soderbergh pulls off the million plot twists and genre switches like it's no big deal.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/6/876676.jpg)
Open Road Films, Endgame Entertainment
Les Diaboliques
![Movies that switch genres mid-story 1955 Les Diaboliques At a French boarding school, two women plot to kill their abusive partner, but then the body never shows up. It's a whole suspense film about madness and apparitions, peaking in a bathtub scene straight out of Ringu. Then director Henri-Georges Clouzot's ghost horror goes back to being a crime drama-or does it? CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/3/876683.jpg)
The Criterion Collection
One Cut of the Dead
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 2017 One Cut of the Dead A crew shooting a low-budget zombie movie are attacked by real zombies. That is already somewhat interesting, but then we see the real attack is a live TV film, and we move on to the lives of the crew and how they pulled it off. It's all an ode to filmmaking.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/1/876681.jpg)
Shudder
Bullet in the Head
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 1990 Bullet in the Head You'd think this John Woo'smovie is another of his hyper-cool, slo-mo gunplay pieces. And it does starts that way, but then our gang of Hong Kong criminals try their luck in Vietnam, and the film becomes a realistic war drama in the style of The Deer Hunter.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/7/876677.jpg)
Golden Princess Film
Rat Pfink a Boo Boo
![CRACKED.COM R Movies that switch genres mid-story 1966 Rat Pfink a Boo Boo This forgotten B-flick (Originally supposed to be called The Depraved) is a realistic crime drama - until the 40-minute mark. Then low-budget director Ray Dennis Steckler then felt like taking a swerve into goofy Batman parody territory.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/9/876679.jpg)
Craddock Films
Bone Tomahawk
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 2015 Bone Tomahawk Kurt Russell leads a group of men searching a woman kidnapped by a group of feral people. It's a whole slow-burn Western, with all the classic tropes and even pulpy tone-but then we're thrown in a straight-up Italian gore movie. And it's awesome.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/2/876682.jpg)
RLJ Entertainment
In the Bedroom
![Movies that switch genres mid-story 2001 In the Bedroom Looking at the trailer, this is a powerful family drama about love and domestic abuse. But the surprise that the trailers almost disclose is the protagonist being murdered halfway through, and the movie then becoming a slow, depressing crime film about his parents' revenge. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/0/876680.jpg)
Miramax
Audition
![CRACKED.COM Movies that switch genres mid-story 1999 Audition The first third is dramatic comedy sweetness, with a widower trying to find a new love under the pretense of holding TV auditions. We can see early '90s Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan meeting under this gimmick - but then the psychological horror and excruciating torture scenes begin. A Hanks/Ryan rom-com directed by Takashi Miike? Yes, please.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/8/876678.jpg)
American Cinematheque
Adaptation
![Movies that switch genres mid-story 2002 Adaptation A smart meta comedy about a scriptwriter juggling his neuroses, artistic pretensions, and paying the bills, Adaptation states that it does not want to be a Hollywood blockbuster about overcoming odds, car chases, and learning lessons. Then it becomes exactly that. It works wonderfully, as this is Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, and Nicolas Cage we're talking about. TOKY E I CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/5/876675.jpg)
Columbia Pictures