Casablanca Movie, n.
[Allusion to the 1942 film Casablanca, specifically the exchange between Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ugarte (Peter Lorre): “You despise me, don’t you?” “If I gave you any thought, I probably would.”]
1. colloq. A film considered to be of such low quality or unimportance as to be unworthy of serious critical attention or emotional engagement, often eliciting indifference rather than active dislike. The viewer may acknowledge the film’s flaws but deems it too insignificant to warrant further consideration or analysis.
2. occas. Anything, esp. a work of art or entertainment, regarded with similar apathy or disregard.
Etymology:
Early 21st century. Derived from the iconic exchange in Casablanca which epitomizes a dismissive attitude towards something deemed inconsequential.
Usage:
- “Honestly, that new superhero movie is such a Casablanca Movie. I didn’t hate it, but I also couldn’t bring myself to care about it enough to even write a proper review.”
- “While some critics have lambasted the director’s latest effort, I find it to be more of a Casablanca Movie – not offensive, just utterly forgettable.”