Real Life and movies

The more I think about it the more I realise that writing good movies is about knowing reality.

So I was watching Point Break the other day, bit of research since I found out that James Cameron was ex producer. It made total sense after I started watching it, that it is a Cameron film. It's cheesy but keeps you on the edge of the seat with clever plot twists and hooks. It's obvious but well written.

Anyways since I've been reading a lot about The Game lately I took note of the scene where Keanu picks up the girl in the Surf Cafe. In the scene he builds rapport by linking a tale about his dead parents to her own real life orphan story. It's a brilliant scene because it's completely believable that she would fall for him after his story. Anyway seems obvious but it would be difficult to write that scene without a solid understanding of pickup/human nature.

Anyway thought it was interesting since so many people think that good writing requires a good understanding of movies and storytelling, when it's just a good understanding of reality and how things work that makes a good movie or classic scene.

BTW just saw Brando's on The Waterfront the other day, that film is incredible.