Killers Of The Flower Moon: When Is The Best Time To Use The Restroom?

Contains mild spoilers for "Killers of the Flower Moon"

"Killers of the Flower Moon" is Martin Scorsese's latest epic, and while there's much to discuss from the film, most people probably just want to know when they can sneak out of the theater for a restroom break. One of the biggest talking points of the movie is its runtime, which clocks in at 3 hours and 26 minutes, making it one of the longest films of the modern era. It's also a long time to sit in one place, with people undoubtedly not wanting to miss a second of what's surely going to be an Oscar contender in a few months. 

Fortunately, we're here to tell you when during the film you can take a moment to relieve yourself if you're so inclined. Roughly an hour into "Killers of the Flower Moon," Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio) meets with his uncle, William King Hale (Robert De Niro), at a masonic lodge. You can tell when the scene starts because William makes Ernest kneel before a stand with a Bible on top. William reprimands Ernest for endangering their plan, and he proceeds to paddle Ernest as punishment. 

Now, some people may want to see DiCaprio get paddled. Different strokes for different folks. But as far as plot development or seeing a juicy performance, you won't miss much dipping out to use the restroom real fast. There's still a little over two hours of the film when this scene occurs, but holding it for a couple of hours is far more manageable than 206 minutes.

With a movie of this magnitude, people need to go in prepared. The most obvious recommendation is to make sure to use the restroom prior to the film starting. Most movie theaters frontload films with 15 to 20 minutes of trailers, so you can go while those are taking place to empty everything right before showtime. However, that may not do everyone much good. Due to medical conditions or the need for certain medications, some people have to alleviate themselves more often. 

And, of course, there are people who just have to have popcorn and a drink when they go out. Movie theater concessions are arguably the worst things to have when you're trying to hold it. When speaking with Popular Science, Yale associate professor Dr. Leslie Rickey recommended, "Avoiding the caffeinated drinks at the snack counter is probably a good idea." This is due to caffeine being a diuretic, which is a substance that makes people need to urinate more. Salty popcorn isn't much better because the excess salt will make you want to drink more, in turn leading to more bathroom breaks. 

Despite all these tips and tricks, you're best off leaving to use the restroom when you need to. Even if you end up missing crucial dialogue, it's not worth it to be uncomfortable for so long, so get up and take care of yourself. "Killers of the Flower Moon" is based on a true story, so it's easy to find information about what happened if you want to learn more afterward. But if sitting for that long is too anxiety-inducing, the film will be available on Apple TV+ in the near future. That way you can pause at your leisure.