History Main / ThisIsReality

* In the AndrewVachss Burke book ''Mask Market'', Wolfe tells Burke that "this is real life, not a TV show".

[[/folder]]

** Though that may be a subversion; it's an anime, not a video game.

It is a message to the viewers that "Hey, this show/movie is more grounded in reality than average." This message is [[InformedAbility not always true]]. Sometimes it's done for [[ReconstructedTrope reconstruction purposes]], where the characters ridicule the trope but then the trope somehow comes into play anyway (a very common example involves SantaClaus turning out to be real and [[TrueMeaningOfChristmas bringing joy to cynical adults]].) It's somewhat common in sci-fi and comedy which feature wildly varying levels of realism and can be used to help the audience get a feel for what the limits are. BeyondTheImpossible is when these limits are established and then deliberately broken.

Contrast NotAGame, which (usually) does not invoke the FourthWall. May be subverted by an AsideGlance. Another possible twist is to have the characters object to an "unrealistic notion" that ''is'' in fact perfectly realistic and sensible ''within the fictional universe''.

* In [[DragonAgeOrigins Dragon Age: Origins]], Loghain delivers one of these to King Cailin before the Battle of Ostagar.
-->'''Loghain:''' Your fascination with glory and legends will be your undoing, Cailin. We must attend to reality!"

* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', a codec conversation in Pakistan has Kevin rule out the use of an infiltrator [[spoiler: on board Air Force One to assassinate the US president]] as foreign press would not be allowed on board in reality, , "not like in the movies."

* In ''AnimalCrossing: Wild World'', one of the things Resetti says when you [[SaveScumming reset the game]] is something along the lines of "You can't reset to solve all your problems. That kind of thing only happens in video games," except with more all-caps.
** This is not really an example; as he acknowledges he's in a video game from the start. His point is that "you can't reset real life when you screw up, why should you be able to do so in a video game?"

* In the second episode of ''ShakuganNoShana'', the title character says this. It's actually an inversion, since he says this to make him fact facts, after explaining the AwfulTruth.

* Early in TheDeedOfPaksenarrion, Saben, having just escaped captivity at the hands of a villain, with two of his friends, is excited to imagine bringing word back to the Duke, rescuing the rest of the company, and being "heroes in this tale". Canna replies, "this is no fireside tale, no adventure for a hero out of songs: this is real. We aren't likely to make it as far as the Duke, though we'll try".

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!!Examples:

[[folder:Film]]
* The English remake of the movie ''FunnyGames'' has this dialogue between two characters:

* In ''TheIncredibles,'' Helen/Elastigirl warns her kids that the EvilMinions are not like the villains in the {{Saturday Morning Cartoon}}s they watch, and will kill them if given the chance.
** This whole scene makes a lot more sense if you've seen the deleted scene where [[spoiler:Helen's old friend the pilot is still on the plane when it gets hit. It still makes plenty of sense even without that scene, as the kids were on the plane when missiles were fired, despite Helen's warning of "children on board!"]]
** When Syndrome shows the captured family the TV footage of the landed alien aircraft, he says, "You gotta admit this is cool, just like the movies!"

* Near the end of ''Dial M for Murder'', GenreSavvy thriller author Mark is desperate to save Margot from being executed and comes to her husband Tony with an idea he's worked out of how Tony could claim he had been trying to kill Margot and spend a few years in jail in exchange for saving her life. Unknowingly, he proceeds to outline almost the exact same plan that Tony actually used. Tony says that nobody would believe a story like that.

* In ''KissKissBangBang'', the two lead characters are being walked, at gunpoint, into a nearby building. One of them starts [[SeinfeldianConversation talking to his friend]] and fellow hostage about the difference between movies and reality. Specifically, how in the movies anyone you turn a gun on is a hostage, whereas in real life, the professionals like to keep a distance of at least five feet, lest the "hostage" take the gun and "make them eat it". He then proceeds to do exactly that.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLastUnicorn'': Robin Hood is a myth! We are the reality!

* Also used in ''[[DisneyAnimatedCanon Cinderella]]'' by The Grand Duke, ribbing the King for setting up a ball in hopes that the Prince would find a bride. The scene plays out exactly according to The Duke's description, to the point where he finishes with "...a fine plot for fairy tales, but in real life, it is foredoomed to failure!"

-->'''Elder Tirebiter:''' In who's movie?
-->'''Judge:''' This is no movie. This is real.
-->'''Elder Tirebiter:''' Which reel?
-->'''Judge:''' The last reel of this vintage movie, ''High School Madness''...

* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', a codec conversation in Pakistan has Kevin rule out the use of an infiltrator [[spoiler: on board Air Force One to assassinate the US president]] as foreign press would not be allowed on board in reality.

One character tells another; ''this is reality'', ''this is not a movie'', or any variation thereof, most often the stock phrase "This isn't a/an X, you know"; in order to get them to divorce themselves from an unrealistic notion -- only, little do they know, it indeed ''isn't'' reality! This phrase is often used when [[DefiedTrope defying]] a trope. In other words, this trope is a LampshadeHanging affirmation of the FourthWall, with a subtle joke and a bit of dramatic irony rolled in.

->'''Rachel''': ''Yeah, well, Wolverine has a big advantage over us, '''He's not real.'''.''

->'''Rachel''': ''Yeah, well, Wolverine has a big advantage over us. '''He's not real.'''

->'''Rachel''': ''Yeah, well, Wolverine has a big advantage over us. He's not real.''

* In an episode of {{Continuum}}, a dry-cleaner finds a [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman super-suit]] (actually armor from the future) and thinks it makes him a super-hero. After he stops a mugging (getting shot in the process, though the suit does save him), his girlfriend gets angry at him for trying to be a hero, informing him: "this is not a TV show, this is your life."

* In ''StarcraftII'', when the xel'naga artifact is assembled, Tychus is worried that it might upset the entire space-time continuum, which prompts Raynor to assure him that "this ain't science fiction". [[spoiler: Since that same artifact can kill all zerg in a certain radius every once in a while and...mostly...de-infest Kerrigan, really, Tychus' fear of its potential isn't too much more ridiculous.]]

* In ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', Benny the Cab warns an armed Roger, as he goes off to rescue Eddie and Jessica, "Careful with that gun! This ain't a cartoon, ya know."

Not to be confused with [[YoureInsane madness]] [[MemeticMutation or]] [[Film/ThreeHundred Sparta]] or [[SpongebobSquarepants Patrick]] or [[ThisIsSpinalTap the band that performs "Big Bottom"]], and ''especially'' not to be confused with [[WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas Halloween]].