Hypnosis in Movies: 5 Famous Films That Get It Wrong

Hypnosis in Movies: Fact VS. Fiction

Hypnosis has fascinated audiences for decades, but Hollywood hasn’t always portrayed it accurately. While films can be entertaining, the way hypnosis is shown on screen often reinforces myths that don’t reflect how hypnotherapy really works. Let’s look at five well-known movies and separate the fiction from the facts.

1. Get Out (2017)

In Jordan Peele’s thriller, hypnosis is used as a tool of control, trapping the main character in the terrifying “Sunken Place.” This makes for powerful cinema, but in real life, hypnosis cannot force anyone to act against their will. In hypnotherapy, the client remains aware and in control; if a suggestion conflicts with their values, they will reject it.

2. Now You See Me (2013)

This heist movie depicts stage performers hypnotising people instantly, often without their consent, and then completely controlling their actions. While rapid inductions can happen in stage hypnosis, therapeutic hypnosis requires the client’s cooperation and willingness. Hypnotherapy is a partnership, not mind control.

3. Office Space (1999)

In this cult comedy, a character undergoes hypnosis to relax but is left “stuck” in a trance when the therapist suddenly dies mid-session. This plays on the myth that people can get trapped in hypnosis. In reality, trance is a natural state, and clients can always return to normal awareness on their own.

4. The Manchurian Candidate (1962 & 2004)

Both versions of this political thriller depict hypnosis as a form of brainwashing used for sinister purposes. While hypnosis can help people change habits or perceptions, it cannot implant new personalities or turn someone into an unwilling assassin. Such extreme control is pure fiction.

5. Zoolander (2001)

This comedy famously shows a villain using hypnosis to brainwash the fashion model Derek Zoolander into committing murder. While played for laughs, it echoes the same myth of hypnosis as total mind control. In reality, hypnotherapy helps people access their own inner resources to make positive changes — nothing more sinister than that.

The Reality of Hypnosis

Unlike the Hollywood version, hypnosis is a safe, natural, and collaborative process. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis: the client remains aware and in control throughout. It’s not about giving up your free will — it’s about focusing your mind in a way that allows you to let go of unhelpful patterns and embrace new ones.

So, while movies may be fun, the truth about hypnosis is far more empowering: it’s not about losing control, but about gaining it.