Continuity mistake: After being buried alive, Wake returns to attack Howard with a pick. There isn't a speck of dirt on him.
Factual error: At one stage a soldier calls the Air Force Ground Liaison Officer "Captain", when his real rank is Group Captain, a much higher rank.
Suggested correction: 'Captain' (not to be confused with army rank 'captain' equivalent to a flight Lieutenant) is short and informal for the rank of 'group captain'.
Continuity mistake: The spacing (almost touching versus several inches apart) and appearance (shape and whether there are shoots) of the two flowers in the vase on Estelle's/Betty's table at the restaurant vary. Sometimes, the flowers on her table look more like the ones that could be seen on the table in front of hers after Brian/Roy entered the restaurant. (00:03:40)
Factual error: The royal parade is supposed to be of the Yorkshire Hussars, but the filmmakers instead borrowed the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, complete with guns. Although the uniform was similar, the Yorkshire Hussars was a cavalry regiment until the Second World War, when it became an armoured regiment. It was never an artillery regiment.
Continuity mistake: At the beginning of Aiai Liu's flashback, she is on a boat. Fellow prostitute Ping leans forward towards Hua saying he should treat them all fairly. Aiai she is intently cleaning a fingernail in one shot, immediately after she has the same hand placed on her cheek. (00:32:45)
Factual error: Russell said he served twenty-one years in prison because his last offense - possession of 30 grams of marijuana with the intent to distribute - counted as his "third strike" under California's "Three Strikes And You're Out" statute. When he was on the internet trying to locate his father (instead finding his obituary from 2001), information on the computer indicated it was now 2012. This would mean Russell was incarcerated since 1991 - and further indicates he was sentenced about three years BEFORE California's "Three Strikes And You're Out" statute was implemented. Also, 30g of marijuana is the limit for "personal use", so he wouldn't have been charged with intent to distribute. (00:16:15)
Other mistake: Judy is singing on stage with some showgirls. She is singing into a wired microphone. At the end of the song she twirls around twice, but the microphone does not appear to get wrapped around her. (00:49:35)
Continuity mistake: After the cartoon segment, Deni entertains some playful banter with his girlfriend and takes off, putting a shirt on while he runs. When the neighbour asks him "Late again?", the guitar strap is on opposite sides of the instrument as the editing switches to a reverse shot. (00:06:40)
Continuity mistake: When George gets shot, he lies flat on his back. When Gloria walks in on the scene, there's a closer view of him and he is lying on his side. (01:18:45)
Visible crew/equipment: As the camera moves forward in the opening shot, a clear reflection of a film light can be seen on the side of the fire engine.
Factual error: The film states that the story takes place in the year 1998. Everything in the opening scenes crams in every 90's cliché imaginable to reinforce the era. However, at 1m56s into the movie, the main character is driving on the freeway and it cuts to a shot showing that he's driving behind a marked police car. Specifically, a Police Interceptor model Ford Explorer that did not hit the market until 2012. (00:01:56)
Continuity mistake: For a second time in the movie, someone buzzes June on the intercom. She tries to overcome her fears and get out of the apartment, but can't. She shuts the door, leans with the left hand on the doorframe by the chain, and lowers her arm. In the next shot, Naomi Watts is breathing deeply still with her hand by the chain. (00:06:05)
Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the movie, the girl gets assaulted from the back: you see at first exactly from the shot from behind that the backpack she is carrying escapes her arms, but in the subsequent shot she is still holding it. (00:02:10)
Revealing mistake: When Phil approaches Michael's grave, water ("rain") has already accumulated only in front of the grave. When Phil is kneeling by the grave, streams of "rain" fall behind him and in front of him, but not directly on him. (00:25:03)
Factual error: At presentation of the Medal of Honor, the US Air Force Secretary reads the citation that states William H. Pitsenbarger was an Airman First Class (E-3 with 2 stripes) but in the battle scenes William H. Pitsenbarger is wearing the insignia of a 'Buck' Sergeant (E-4 with 3 stripes). (00:14:29 - 01:43:55)
Continuity mistake: Xiao Meng spent some time wrapping her father's (Professor Tao) left hand, going around his wrist/thumb and under his thumb (diagonally across his palm). When Tao was blown off the bridge and landed in the dirt, the bandage was NOT wrapped around his thumb (just around his wrist). (01:12:33 - 01:16:03)
Continuity mistake: Young Theo Decker is having his first dinner with the Barbours. Seeing that he's not eating much, Nicole Kidman asks him if he would like her to ask the maid Etta to make something else. On Theo's right, Andy is holding the fork with his right hand. As Theo answers "I'm not hungry", Andy's left hand suddenly is on the table too. (00:06:00)
Continuity mistake: Grace was wearing an over-sized (gray?) sweater when she was outside sitting on the porch steps holding her dead dog Grady. Aiden and Mia put a dark-colored (black?) blanket around Grace's shoulders and it draped past her hips, touching the porch. It does not appear as though Grace still had the blanket draped over her shoulders or anywhere when there was a distant view of her still sitting on the porch. (01:24:05 - 01:26:55)
Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the movie, the waitress notices that Emilio for the first time in years has not completed his Sudoku yet. The sequence begins with her stopping by him and waving her hand, upturned, but the hand is then on his shoulder. She repeats the gesture at the cut. (00:01:50)
Continuity mistake: The way Linda holds her coffee cup changes numerous times, often instantly with front versus rear views. The handle switches (changes 90° or 180°) from facing towards her chest to her left knee to opposite her chest while holding the cup between her bent knees, which vary in distance apart. The cup is held a few inches above, below, or about even with her kneecaps. (00:44:35 - 00:48:23)