People are having way too much fun filming their lives like a Wes Anderson movie on TikTok
The result makes even the most humdrum event feel like something out of a storybook.

Best TikTok trend ever
Even if you aren’t a fan of Wes Anderson movies in general, you gotta admit the man has a rich, distinct cinematic style that is uniquely his own. You can always spot an Anderson movie for its satisfying symmetry, vibrant color palette and planimetric composition that makes every frame feel more like a standalone painting than a film still. The result makes even the most humdrum event feel like something out of a storybook.
And this is why folks on TikTok are taking the film auteur’s aesthetic and running absolutely wild with it.
The wholesome trend seems to have begun with Ava Williams (@avawillyums), who filmed herself on a train and perfectly nailed that signature Wes Anderson style. Warm hues, curated shots, chirpy music and all."You better not be acting like you're in a Wes Anderson film when I get there," the onscreen text reads. We then see a title card with a timestamp and location (another classic Anderson touch) that sets Williams off on her whimsical train journey "Along the Shoreline East To Grand Central Terminal."
Watch below. And yes, that delightful song is "Obituary" by Alexandre Desplat from Anderson's 2021 film, "The French Dispatch." Oh so fitting.@avawillyums With a good imagination, everything is symmetrical. Let a girl day dream! #wesanderson ♬ Obituary - Alexandre Desplat
It was watching that movie that inspired Williams to make her video in the first place. The 26-year-old enjoyed it with her parents only the night before during a visit that felt too short. Borrowing some of Anderson’s levity and infusing it with her own creativity seemed to be the perfect antidote for homesickness.
“I didn't want to really end my trip on such a sad note so I was hoping to make the most out of a situation that wasn't totally ideal,” Williams shared with Newsweek.
"I thought about how I could enjoy the trip if I basically romanticized the moment, made it more exciting and tried to enjoy the train ride in style," she added. "The video was really a way for me to document a moment I didn't particularly want to enjoy and try and enjoy it."
It wasn’t long before others hopped onto the #WesAnderson bandwagon, filming themselves as the lead characters in their own romantic, fanciful story, be it in a prime Anderson location like Paris or at a local Starbucks.
@twolostkids Sempre fingimos que estamos em um filme do Wes Anderson - Lost in Paris #wesanderson #shotoniphone ♬ Obituary - Alexandre Desplat
@tjastone I hope this blows up because I literally got hit by a car right after the first shot, lens destroyed, and now I can’t walk, enjoy 🤭 ______________________________ #tariqstone #cinematography #film #filmmaking #artstudent #cinematographer #cinematic #videography #video #cinema #camera #videographer #sanfrancisco #sf #photographer #lumix #lumixs5 #moment #cinebloom #photography #art #filmtok ♬ Obituary - Alexandre Desplat
@irinahp Lisbon, but make it Wes Anderson ;) Here some of my favorite spots: 📍Ponto Final restaurant (try to make a reservation before) 📍Conoba Café (lots of vegan options!) 📍Miolo Café (perfect for brunch) 📍best Pastéis de nata: Castro & Manteigaria #lisbonportugal #lisbon #wesanderson#wesandersontrend#accidentalywesanderson ♬ Obituary - Alexandre Desplat
@josh_rimmey let me tell you about my shop #wesanderson ♬ Obituary - Alexandre Desplat
@keithafadi I’ve recently discovered Wes Anderson and his films so here’s a quick & fun little video for this trend
♬ Obituary - Alexandre Desplat
Honestly, Wes Anderson and TikTok seem made for each other. Anderson’s films often strive to find beauty in the mundane and celebrate quirkiness, which just so happen to be qualities of TikTok at its absolute best. It’s no wonder why the trend has taken off, really. Sometimes we just want to feel like we’re living in one big work of art. Thank goodness for the artists (and platforms) that help us achieve that.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."