History Main / UncomfortableElevatorMoment

* In the season two finale of ''Series/CobraKai'', when Johnny Lawrence and Daniel [=LaRusso=] wind up sharing an elevator after their [[EscalatingWar escalating feud]] has resulted in [[spoiler:a brutal riot breaking out at the high school that's left Miguel in the hospital with a spinal injury, Samantha in the hospital with lacerations and cracked ribs, Robbie on the run from the law, the rest of their students either traumatized or swearing allegiance to [[BigBad John Kreese]], and both their personal lives going down to hell.]] Neither can bring themselves to say ''anything''; they just stare at each other, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone filled with remorse and clearly realizing that they have no one to blame for the situation but themselves]].

* The Ben Carson movie, ''Film/GiftedHands'', has this. On his first day at work, he is the only colored person in the elevator, and the only one to give a cheery good morning to the other doctors. This doesn't stop him from saying good morning the next time, though.

* ''WesternAnimation/WallE'' has one between the title character and EVE. They happen to be on the run at the time and the two see a [[WantedPoster "wanted" picture]] of them on the screen in the elevator. WALL•E is amused. [[TriggerHappy EVE]]... [[ShootTheTelevision isn't]].

* In the beginning of ''Film/{{Ghost}}'', Carl and Sam pull what's clearly an often-practiced joke where they discuss what communicable diseases they've picked up, whilst in a crowded elevator.

* ''Film/MercuryRising'' takes the trope UpToEleven with an Uncomfortable Elevator MexicanStandoff.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'' manages to have such a moment with a {{Magitek}} elevator in season 2 episode 4 -- complete with an elevator music remix [[DiegeticSoundtrackUsage of the opening theme]].

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/CatScratch'' has the bear, a recurring character which keeps trying to eat Mr. Blik, take an elevator to the top of a building to get at him and his brothers, [[ItMakesSenseInContext who have been inflated into living balloons]], and a man already in the elevator looks very worried standing next to the perfectly calm and silent bear.

* VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake: If you choose to take the Elevator during the Shinra HQ, instead of going stright to the 59th floor, they end up makes several stops along the way because, well, because it's Shinra HQ; people work there. The first couple of times it's Shinra MP's on patrol, so the third time it happens the party preps themselves for another fight... only to scare the witts out of some poor OfficeLady. The 4th stop is some guy talking on the phone to his mother, apparently oblivious to the party. Cue a hilarious moment where he continues the conversation, warning her to be on the lookout for more Avalanche[[note]](i.e ''The Main Characters'')[[/note]] attacks [[https://www.ordinaryreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/final-fantasy-7-remake-what-happens-if-use-elevator.jpg while Barret, Cloud, and Tifa stand in the corner]] trying to avoid his attention.

* ''VideoGame/LANoire'' has one in "The Naked City" DLC, where you and your partner are riding up with a woman whose fiancee you just accused of burglary. Your partner finds it funny anyway:

* Played with in ''VideoGame/Payday2'' in the "Beneath The Mountain" Heist. Played with because you're in an airlock, '''not''' an elevator, but in which you're put in an akward situation where neither you, or the rest of the crew, can really do anything while inside. The only thing you '''can do''' is stock up on ammo and Patch up wounds and wait for the second airlock door to open. Bear in mind that there are SWAT teams on both sides of the airlock doors, so standing in the middle of a Loud heist is a strange thing to endure.
-->'''Locke:''' Any second now!..(beat)...Know any jokes?

* "Elevator Trip of the Damned", where two characters engage in painfully awkward conversation on a (sometimes literally) endless elevator journey, is a regular feature of Ruben Bolling's ''[[ComicStrip/TomTheDancingBug Super-Fun-Pak Comix]]''.

** ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' had such a moment filmed, but it ended up as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARXUHxI6BcA a deleted scene]]. Aunt May, Peter Parker, Norman Osborn, Max Dillon, Flint Marko, and Otto Octavius are taking the lift together to Happy's apartment, making for quite the awkward ride. Especially since Doc Ock, front and center, is still wrapped in his own tentacles, and even ''one tentacle tip'' seems to be following the unspoken protocol.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mTVuo8nCME In a deleted scene]] from ''Film/TheLastJedi'', while infiltrating the ''Supremacy'' disguised as First Order officers, Finn, Rose and TJ have to take an elevator with a bunch of Stormtroopers. It starts with the usual elevator routine, but gets even tenser when one of the Stormtroopers (Creator/TomHardy in an uncredited cameo) recognizes Finn. [[spoiler:Except he's unaware of Finn's defection (the First Order covered it to not give other soldiers ideas) and just congratulates Finn for his "promotion".]]

* Dara O'Briain built a whole bit about the phenomenon into one of his shows. The video is sadly no longer available online, but he suggests not walking into your usual spot at the back, but instead standing with your back to the doors, just ''staring'' into the lift at everyone else in it. He also recommends the handrails as a means of indulging your Olympic-Gymnast daydreams.
* Creator/LesInconnus has a short sketch based on this: a dozen people enter an elevator with the music and filming style evoking a suspense or horror setting. Each person solemnly announces which floor they're going to, with the appropriate dramatic close-up.... [[MoodWhiplash Then we hear a farting sound]], and everybody's now going to the second floor.

-->Two guys in an elevator...one guy farts, everybody knows who did it.

* The 2012 version of '' WesternAnimation/TheLorax'' has a pretty standard one--our heroes are speeding through a city center on a motorcycle, end up driving onto an elevator, and we see a few moments of the cramped, awkward silence you get when a motorcycle is shoved in.

* ''Film/BigBullet'' have a scene where the protagonist, Police Sergeant Bill, and a team of his detectives transports a powerful criminal mastermind called The Professor on an elevator. The Professor may be handcuffed, but Bill and his colleagues are well-aware they're escorting a dangerous killing machine who had murdered dozens of people without batting an eye.

-->'''Jack Burton''': [[HoYay Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?]]

* In ''Film/DOADeadOrAlive'', [[InNameOnly Christie]] gets into an elevator wearing nothing except a bra, panties, and high heels, unsettling the poor old guy already in the elevator. Then the moment is interrupted when she ties him up, ''stuffs him into his own briefcase'', and steals his trenchcoat.

* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}'': The hotel elevator scene during their very first outing. Although their dialogue is completely ordinary, their Proton Packs -- backpack-mounted nuclear accelerators -- do the job for them.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mTVuo8nCME In a deleted scene]] from ''Film/TheLastJedi'', while infiltrating the ''Supremacy'' disguised as First Order officers, Finn, Rose and TJ have to take an elevator with a bunch of Stormtroopers. It starts with the usual elevator routine, but gets even tenser when one of the Stormtroopers (Creator/TomHardy in an uncredited cameo) recognizes Finn. [[spoiler:Except he's unaware of Finn's defection (the First Order covered it to not give other soldiers ideas) and just congratulates Finn for his "promotion".]]

** ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' had such a moment filmed, but it ended up as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARXUHxI6BcA a deleted scene]]. Aunt May, Peter Parker, Norman Osborn, Max Dillon, Flint Marko, and Otto Octavius are taking to lift together to Happy's apartment, making for quite the awkward ride. Especially since Doc Ock, front and center, is still wrapped in his own tentacles, and even ''one tentacle tip'' seems to be following the unspoken protocol.

* ''Film/MrAndMrsSmith2005'': The eponymous duo are BackToBackBadasses as they fight GunsAkimbo and take down a whole floor of {{Mooks}}. They fight their way into an elevator, and the action comes to an abrupt halt: they stand uncomfortably still and silent while the elevator moves and bland music plays. As soon as the doors open, the shooting resumes.

* ''Film/RevengeOfThePinkPanther'' does this when Clouseau is under cover with The Mob and they're all sizing each other up in the lift. And then the director decided that somebody should break wind. It apparently took 58 takes to get it right.

* Subverted in ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2014''. When the Turtles board an elevator to take them to the top of Eric Sacks's tower, they stare ahead awkwardly at first, but then loosen up when [[https://youtu.be/CTcy51kHDTM?t=38s Mikey starts beatboxing.]]
* A threefer in ''Film/TrueLies''. Tasker (on a horse) chases a terrorist (on a dirtbike) into the lobby of a hotel. The terrorist rides right into a glass-walled elevator and takes a hostage. Tasker rides into the next elevator, with a well-to-do couple who wind up pressed against the glass with the horse's rear in their face. And the whole ride up, Tasker and the bad guy are glaring daggers at each other.
** ''Film/SpyHard'' parodied this scene with ToiletHumor, given the horse starts relieving himself.

-->'''Sonne''': Now you have to be very silent, you know, because nobody talks in Germany in an elevator. It's forbidden.

** The fifth season episode "[[LowerDeckEpisode A View From The Gallery]]" had Garibaldi and Captain Lochley having a heated plot-specific discussion about the episode's conflict, all while lowly technicians Bo and Mack quietly stand in the elevator and try to stay out from between them.

* In the pilot of ''Series/{{Flashpoint}}'' a police sniper in full tactical gear steps into a crowded elevator in an office building and asks if someone could press the button for the top floor. The other passengers try their best to ignore him on the ride up.
* Toyed with in an episode of ''Series/{{Frasier}}''; Daphne and Martin whisper urgently to each other about how no one could recognize her after the plastic surgery, "the woodchuck and his ways" and the best way to get "stuff" through customs, just for the delight of the awkward response from other tenants. Played straight in a few other episodes.
** One episode featured a neighbor trying to do her laundry who kept managing to be in the elevator as soon as the plot went there, by the end of the episode she was the only one who knew everything that was happening.

** In the BackDoorPilot for Series/NCISNewOrleans, it's implied this isn't even Gibbs' trick to begin with:

* ''Webcomic/BlueMilkSpecial'': Inside the Death Star, Chewbacca, Han and Leia infiltrating are using an elevator when a pair of Stormtroopers enter... and pointedly ignore them. As they exit on their floor, the Stormtrroopers swear they didn't see anything because it's way above their pay check.
* "Elevator Trip of the Damned", two characters engaging in painfully awkward conversation on a (sometimes literally) endless elevator journey, is a regular feature of Ruben Bolling's ''[[ComicStrip/TomTheDancingBug Super-Fun-Pak Comix]]''.

* In ''Series/FlandersCompany'', episode "Projet Damien", the protagonists are dragging a drugged Dr. Parker in an elevator. They stay silent the whole ride, but when they hear a fart, Caleb points out to the unconscious doctor.
* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's review of ''Film/{{Devil}}'' starts out like that, with the Critic stuck in an elevator with [[Franchise/PowerRangers Rita Repulsa]], Santa Christ and the Devil, and doing the whole review from there.
* In the ''WebVideo/TGWTGYearOneBrawl'' between the WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic and WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd, the two keep fighting throughout a hotel, even while the are waiting for an elevator to arrive. When it does they simply stand inside, apparently ignoring each other. The fight continues once they reach their intended floor.

-->I'm an elevator ride you want to oppose
-->I'll say I'm pressing open, but I'll press "door close"
-->If you make it in, I will devise
-->A way to look everywhere but in your eyes
-->Then I'll follow you right out the door
-->Take a look around, this ain't my floor

** A rather inspired one: Jackie and his EvilTwin get into an elevator, and [[TheElevatorFromIpanema the "Theme from a Summer Place" starts playing]]. Good!Jackie smiles and enjoys the music. Evil!Jackie scowls and waits.

''[{{Beat}}]''\\

''[{{Beat}}]''\\

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': In [[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS5E16TheLawless "The Lawless"]], Obi-Wan, [[DressingAsTheEnemy disguised]] as a Mandalorian warrior, is breaking his not-girlfriend Duchess Satine out of prison. They wind up in the lift with a loyal Death Watch soldier, who asks what's going on. Obi-Wan claims it's a "prisoner transfer". The guy eventually asks for the authorization code, however, so Obi-Wan has to knock him out.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': In [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS2E07StealthStrike "Stealth Strike"]], a [[DressingAsTheEnemy disguised]] Kanan and Rex, accompanied by Chopper, wind up on an elevator with an Imperial officer who comments that Rex's armour is looking a little tight on him. Things swiftly get ''quite'' awkward.
-->'''Officer:''' Your armour's looking a little tight, trooper.\\
'''Rex:''' ''[under his breath]'' I'll tighten your ... face ... a little ... tighter.\\

'''Kanan:''' ''[laughs nervously]'' Possible hyper-sickness. I'm taking 565 here ... to the ... [[PoliceCodeForEverything 267]].\\

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsResistance'': In [[Recap/StarWarsResistanceS1E14TheFirstOrderOccupation "The First Order Occupation"]], Kaz and Synara, heading for the underwater escape pods to get her off the Colossus before the First Order can capture her, wind up in an awkward turbolift ride made moreso by cheesy elevator music. Then the janitor gets onboard briefly, complaining about the stormtroopers' confiscation of his cleaning machine, so Kaz and Synara express their sympathy before he leaves.

* ''Series/Batwoman2019''. In "Down Down Down", Kate Kane steps into an elevator in Tommy Elliot's skyscraper to find her step-sister Mary being bodyguarded by her ex-girlfriend Sophie Moore. Stuck in the middle between these two, Mary can only stare at the still-climbing level indicator and gripe about why Tommy needs to live in such a tall tower. Later there is a second one, when she is trapped in an elevator with Sophie and her husband Tyler, with the former still trying to hide the obvious fact that she and Kate were a couple.

* ''Series/TheDefenders2017'':
** [[Series/Daredevil2015 Matt Murdock]], [[Series/JessicaJones2015 Jessica Jones]], [[Series/LukeCage2016 Luke Cage]], and [[Series/IronFist2017 Danny Rand]] have just found themselves under attack [[WorkingTheSameCase when their separate investigations into the Hand lead to them all converging on Midland Circle Financial at the same time]]. After [[HallwayFight fighting off Elektra and a bunch of Alexandra's henchmen in the corridors]], they manage to all make it to the elevator to escape. This leads to the elevator teaser, where Matt, Luke and Danny are all catching their breath, while Jessica looks around and quickly smashes the security camera in the ceiling to protect Matt's identity.
** A non-elevator variant: later on, Matt, Luke and Jessica are riding the subway to get back to Midland Circle. Jessica grabs a passed out homeless guy's beer and chugs the entire thing down in one gulp while Matt, Luke, and the other passengers on the train give her silent looks of confused amusement.
-->'''Jessica Jones:''' [[INeedAFreakingDrink ...It's been a long week]].

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E8TheChase "The Chase"]], the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki amusingly have this reaction to being invited into a lift by a Mechanoid, a round robot the size of a garden shed.

* There's a scene in ''Series/FatherTed'' where, at the Irish selection for a [[{{Expy}} fictional version]] of the Series/EurovisionSongContest, the title character boards a lift while waiting for his turn to perform. On board the lift, the character hears a supposedly obscure B-side to a previous contender. Recognising it as a track he had secretly planned to plagiarise for a backing track, he panics, pressing at least one of the buttons frantically.
** It's off screen, but in another episode, the bishop claims to have once been stuck in a lift in New York... [[AbsurdPhobia with]] [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes rabbits.]]

* ''Series/Hawkeye2021'': Kate gets in the elevator to try and stop Yelena, whose been hired to kill Kate's partner/mentor Clint. [[FriendlyEnemy Yelena doesn't want to hurt Kate]] and Kate isn't skilled enough to even be a threat to Yelena, so they end up with a "fight" that consists of awkwardly standing and occasionally slapping at each other.

*** The ''Short Treks'' mini-episode "Q & A" is almost entirely made of this, when EnsignNewbie Spock gets trapped in a turbolift with Number One. Lampshaded near the beginning:
---->'''Number One:''' People don't talk in elevators.\\

* ''LightNovel/MirageOfBlaze'': More so for Kagetora than Naoe.

'''Partner:''' Uh... Yeah... Three years in May.\\

'''Partner:''' Yeah... Yeah...\\

* The page image comes from ''Film/SpiderMan2'', as Peter Parker suddenly loses his powers at the top of a building, and can't get out by web swinging or sticking to the walls. Thus, he is forced to use the elevator whilst in full costume when another man is present. Depending on which version of the film you're watching, one of two scenes ensues:

-> '''Susie''': Noelle?!\\
'''Noelle''': H...Hi, Susie. Um, how are you?\\
'''Susie''': Uh... good, I guess.\\
'''Noelle''' Your...um...roller coaster is, uh...I like it!\\
[''several {{beat}}s pass'']\\
'''Queen''': Okay This Isn't Working Bring In The Next Guy
-->-- ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}''

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse
** ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' plays with this when Steve is on an elevator at S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ as several STRIKE agents get on. One agent, Brock Rumlow, discusses recent events, and even converses with Steve. However, Steve rapidly realizes that he's being set up for an ambush as more and more STRIKE agents board the elevator and start surrounding him. Steve breaks the uncomfortable tension with a typically polite, "Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?" Cue ''the'' ElevatorActionSequence.
** ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' sets up a similar scene, with Steve squeezing onto an elevator packed with HYDRA sleeper agents in order to snatch Loki's scepter - and the Mind Stone within - from them. Things appear to be heading for a repeat of ''Winter Soldier's'' ElevatorActionSequence (as the HYDRA agents are clearly not buying Steve's claim to have orders from the director to take the scepter), when [[spoiler:Cap whispers [[FakeDefector "Hail HYDRA!"]] to an astonished Agent Sitwell]] and calmly steps off the elevator with the scepter.

'''Queen''': [[LampshadeHanging Okay This Isn't Working Bring In The Next Guy]]

* In mid-2011, Rebecca Watson, known for writing on the popular science blog Skepchick, had one at an atheist conference in Dublin. A man asked her if she'd like to have coffee with him... in his bedroom. It was four in the morning and they'd never met before. She made [[http://skepchick.org/2011/06/about-mythbusters-robot-eyes-feminism-and-jokes/ a video]] about it, and how uncomfortable she felt. Various people suggested that she was overreacting, and a great deal of backlash occurred as people with opposing viewpoints began clashing over it. [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement And that's as much needs to be said on the subject.]]

* ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'': After an awesome heroic speech, the good guys are all readied-up and hop in the elevator that will take them to confront the BigBad... but instead of the movie [[LawOfConservationOfDetail instantly cutting to the finale]], we get a nearly [[OverlyLongGag minute-long]] shot of them all [[RealityEnsues crammed together uncomfortably in the small elevator, awkwardly waiting for it to reach its destination]] and trying to keep the hype going, with mixed success.

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/CatScratch'' has the bear, a recurring character which keeps trying to eat Mr. Blik, take an elevator to the top of a building to get at him and his brothers, [[ItMakesSenseInContext who have been inflated into livig balloons]], and a man already in the elevator looks very worried standing next to the perfectly calm and silent bear.

* WesternAnimation/SecretSquirrel takes an elevator in his car to the top floor of a building to rescue Morocco Mole (1993 episode "Hot Rodney"). During the elevator ride, which is accompanied by Muzak, a passenger wonders what the heck is going on.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Catscratch}}'' has the bear, a recurring character which keeps trying to eat Mr. Blik, take an elevator to the top of a building to get at the cat, [[ItMakesSenseInContext who has been inflated into a living parade balloon]], and a man already in the elevator looks very worried standing next to the perfectly calm and silent bear.