15 Movie Characters Who Went Through the Worst Week of Their Lives

Some movie characters have the kind of week that makes a bad Monday look pretty appealing. They wake up expecting an ordinary day and end up running from criminals, fighting for survival, or wondering how things got so completely out of hand. Sometimes the trouble starts with one terrible decision. Other times, they’re just unlucky enough to be in the wrong place. The worst part is how quickly everything falls apart. One minute they’re going to a party or taking a short vacation, and the next they’re dealing with something nobody could have prepared for. Watching these disasters unfold makes a quiet weekend at home seem pretty attractive.

John McClane — Die Hard (1988)

John flies to Los Angeles hoping to reconcile with his wife. Instead, terrorists take over her office Christmas party, and he spends the night fighting them barefoot.

Kevin McCallister — Home Alone (1990)

Kevin finally gets his wish of having the house to himself. Unfortunately, his family is in Paris, two burglars are watching the place, and Christmas is approaching fast.

Stu Price — The Hangover (2009)

Stu wakes up in Las Vegas missing a tooth, wearing a wedding ring, and remembering absolutely nothing. Even worse, the groom has disappeared just before his wedding.

Paul Hackett — After Hours (1985)

Paul goes downtown to meet a woman and somehow ends up broke, stranded, and pursued by an angry mob. All he really wants is to get home.

Howard Ratner — Uncut Gems (2019)

Howard owes money to dangerous people, keeps making reckless bets, and can’t stop arguing with everyone around him. Every possible solution seems to create another problem.

Connie Nikas — Good Time (2017)

Connie’s bank robbery goes wrong, his brother gets arrested, and his attempts to fix things only make matters worse. He barely stops moving long enough to think.

Grace — Ready or Not (2019)

Grace marries into a wealthy family and discovers that their wedding-night tradition involves hunting the new bride. Her beautiful white dress doesn’t stay white for long.

Chris Washington — Get Out (2017)

Chris expects an awkward weekend meeting his girlfriend’s parents. Instead, he discovers that their strange behavior is hiding something far more disturbing than uncomfortable family conversation.

Ryan Stone — Gravity (2013)

Ryan is working on a routine space mission when flying debris destroys everything around her. Suddenly, she’s alone in orbit with limited oxygen and no easy way home.

Alan Grant — Jurassic Park (1993)

Alan agrees to inspect a dinosaur park and ends up protecting two children from the attractions. His weekend includes a T. rex attack and some very hungry velociraptors.

Neal Page — Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Neal just wants to get home for Thanksgiving. Delayed flights, unreliable transportation, lost money, and an increasingly annoying traveling companion turn the journey into a complete nightmare.

Shaun — Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun is already dealing with a breakup and a miserable job when the zombie apocalypse begins. Suddenly, even his usual trip to the pub becomes complicated.

Rose DeWitt Bukater — Titanic (1997)

Rose boards the Titanic trapped in an unhappy engagement, falls in love with Jack, and then survives a shipwreck. It’s an astonishing amount of heartbreak for one voyage.

Evelyn Wang — Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Evelyn has a struggling laundromat, an IRS audit, and a complicated family life. Then she discovers the multiverse and somehow ends up responsible for saving it.

Aron Ralston — 127 Hours (2010)

Aron goes hiking alone and gets his arm pinned beneath a boulder. He spends five days trapped in a canyon, facing an almost impossible decision to survive.