He’s Just Not That Into You isn’t exactly a cinematic masterpiece or anything, but some of the reviews I’ve read have really rubbed me the wrong way.
Rolling Stone: “Are women desperate or just desperately stupid? This is the misogynist question at the core of He’s Just Not That Into You, a women-bashing tract disguised as a chick flick. I mean really, will women actually line up this weekend to see themselves treated as pawns in a man’s stupid game? I hope not.”
New York Times: “Mostly it does this by turning Gigi simultaneously into a joke (by playing her desperation for laughs) and a victim (by playing her desperation for tears). It’s a grotesque representation of female desire, one that the appealing Ms. Goodwin can’t save from caricature.”
So, here’s the thing: this is a movie about dating. Sure, the women in the movie obsess over men (and the men in the movie obsess over women) and they don’t spend any time discussing the economic stimulus package or the Oscar nominations, but it’s a movie made up of dating vignettes. That’s the whole point of it!
Here’s the other thing: sometimes women do neurotic things regarding men and dating. Ginnifer Goodwin’s character, Gigi, is embarassing to watch at times because she is an exaggerated portrayal of the over-analyzing and confusion regarding men and relationships in which many, many women have engaged. I actually think most of the ladies in the audience were laughing with her (in an “Oh my God, can you believe I actually did something similar to that?” sort of way), rather than at her (in an “Oh my God, she’s so pathetic” sort of way). The entire point of this character is that audiences will be able to see some aspects of themselves in her and laugh about it, not to be a “grotesque representation of female desire.” Though there are legitimate criticisms that can be made about this movie, it is really just not mean-spirited at all and I am actually surprised that anyone would read it that way.
I really resent the Rolling Stone reviewer (a guy, natch) basically declaring that this movie is so misogynistic that if women go see it and laugh at it, they are total idiots, a statement I find more offensive and misogynistic than anything in He’s Just Not That Into You. The entire message of the movie is good and pro-woman: basically, why make yourself crazy and neurotic by obsessing over some guy that YOU may not even like? It’s not worth the time or energy. You will find someone who you like who also likes you.
There seems to be an undercurrent in some of this commentary that women who occasionally succumb to neurotic behavior over a man are extremely weak or bad feminists, which is just unfair. It just makes them … human beings who are looking for a real connection with another person. Isn’t it more liberating to poke fun at and laugh at this kind of behavior rather than be shamed by it?
5 responses so far ↓
Alyssa // February 9, 2009 at 5:46 am |
I haven’t even seen this movie, but I honestly don’t see where it’s a huge stretch that in our currently stressful times, people would be willing to line up to see a movie about silly, relevant dating issues. I totally agree that it’s far more misogynistic to imply that enjoying something like this means you’re somehow silly or stupid.
I don’t know what’s going on as of late, but I feel like this is part of a growing trend to take entertainment far, far too seriously. Like, even with highly intelligent, thought-provoking entertainment, fans and critics alike are just going crazy overinterpreting it and judging it based on their own ideal worldviews.
I wish people would chill out a little, and put a little bit of the entertaining back in entertainment. Especially with frothy entertainment like this movie! I really don’t think misogyny is what anyone involved was going for, heh.
Shannon // February 9, 2009 at 8:05 pm |
I have noticed over the years that pretty much every movie that comes out with female leads is going to either be called misogynistic because the women are too girly and stereotypically feminine, or because they aren’t. You can’t win.
Ian // February 9, 2009 at 9:44 pm |
While the movie fails in many ways I found it entertaining overall, if taken lightly. Didn’t come out with a sense that anyone was offended. Though that African sequence at the beginning did feel awkward to laugh at. Yeah, don’t take the movie so seriously. This isn’t being considered for best drama. Skip the Jennifer Aniston scenes and watch the Jennifer Connelly scenes and theres something worthwhile there.
carojc7 // February 9, 2009 at 11:48 pm |
It was cute. I actually missed the African sequence since we were a little late, but I can only imagine. Yeah, people in my audience were loving it. (Where did you see it Ian?)
I saw more misogyny in the SATC movie, to be honest. But yeah, it just annoys me when reviewers seem to be epicly missing the point that it’s light fluff! Like, they are all like, “Oh, these women spend all their time talking about men.” It’s like, yeah, it’s a movie about dating, what are they supposed to be talking about?
Sue // February 17, 2009 at 1:55 am |
My biggest problem with the movie was that the ending was all happy when it seemed like the finally slapped some sense into Gigi