That TIME review specifies "sexual (gay) stereotyping" but not the also damaging stereotypes of women? People think it's not a big deal if it happens all the time, but it's precisely BECAUSE women are cardboard 'types in nearly every movie that sexism is continually reinforced.
I posted this in the 12328-post thread, where I fear it may be forever lost, so I'll repost it here:
I have seen the film. I was able to preview it a week ago. The depiction of the Asian character was especially uncomfortable and insulting (and I'm not Asian).
In addition, the female characters were MESSED UP. As noted, the smart and take-charge woman was depicted as a total controlling bitch. The hooker was completely passive and sweet; therefore, all of the men loved her. The bride, who had no clue as to what was going on, looked like she professionally modeled in her spare time. This seemed to be a way of okaying the idea of a fun-loving guy willingly giving up his life to become a staid married man (at least that's the way I saw it). Although she is upset that her fiance may not show up to the wedding on time, this is all she seems to care about. She doesn't have much interest as to why the guys want to spend an additional night in Vegas, or what they're doing there. Her concern is solely with saving face with the impatient wedding guests. Once the groom shows up, all is forgiven, and she never even asks about his adventures in Vegas.
The closing credits are a photo montage of what happened that first night in Vegas, complete with naked strippers galore. The possibility that the fiance may have had sexual encounters with one or more women is presented as an acceptable bachelor's party experience. There is even a comment at the wedding reception between the guys, something to the effect of him having to straighten up after this point so that he can enjoy a peaceful marriage - because, you know, his wife might not be so understanding next time.
Ugh. I could go on and on, but you get the point. And, if you're like me, you see educational opportunities in EVERYTHING, and are able to laugh at some moments and reflect at others.
@smizmar (formerly cointreau-teese): I know I just posted about this above, but the characterizations you are describing sound very similar to those that bothered me in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, by the same screenwriters. These guys are good at coming up with a clever premise and funny lines, but their characterizations reveal some very frustrating attitudes about women, gays and minorities.
Honestly, I found Ghosts of Girlfriends Past infinitely more offensive and disturbing than Observe and Report. I won't rant on about it here, but if you're interested in the similar issues I had with that movie: [acerbicbubblegum.blogspot.com]
@metoometoo: God, there has been an onslaught of horrible sexist movies this year, hasn't there? This may explain why Star Trek was the first movie I'd seen since, like, Titanic.
When I watch these movies I do the same thing I do when I listen to NWA: I just pretend the guys are girls and the girls are guys. That solves all my problems!
This is because I am basically a bro in a girl's body. Sadsies.
There's a sequel ALREADY in the works...so the studios are basically saying... "it will be successful rather ya like it or not!" Whatev...just as long as the BF doesn't force me to watch it with HIM. I like to watch these kind of movies on my own time, I find them better that way.
There has not yet been a word invented to describe the degree of contempt for which i hold the bromance genre/
A small coterie of white, adult males willing to act like asses while women are painted as shrews or whores (never capable of enjoying or participating in the fun, or enjoying it so much you are expected to think of them as deviant), while any actor of color is played to stereotype 100 times out of 100? Where's my ticket?
God..... if we could just take all the energy, time, and script-writing put into this movie and use it to make something else, something new, i'd be happy.
Nighthawk (the former Okori Wadsworth) is headed back to DGUSA in November! was starred
Nighthawk (the former Okori Wadsworth) is headed back to DGUSA in November! was unstarred
Where did Bradley Cooper come from? Why is he always cast as a jerk? Do you think he's a jerk in real life? Questions like this keep me awake at night...
@maybeimamazed02: Well US Weekly would have you believe he's dating Jennifer Aniston, and since I'm a woman, I prefer to believe their rumors instead of yours. (Also that I could potentially meet him and convince him he'd rather date/screw me than her. Lots of imagination is required for this to work, obviously.)
Thanks for the review Dodai. This weekend I will be spending my dolla dolla bills on The Proposal (Ryan Reynolds naked? Yes, please) and Away We Go. I'll just rent I Love You Man again if I need to quench my bro comedy thirst.
I may be alone in this, but I really like Heather Graham. It pains me that she is constantly cast as the "whore with a heart of gold" in (and I am basing this judgement solely on the reviews here) bad movies.
@Sputnik_Sweetheart: I like her too. I don't see her for a while, but then I'll see her in something and be like "wow, I forgot how fun she is!" Unfortunately, she really should get more roles beyond "hooker with a heart of gold".
Every time I see one of these types of movies, I end up wondering why, for the love of Pete, they can't make one with some female leads. Ladies can be raunchy too!
This plot would work just as well if Rachel Harris, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph went to Vegas for a bachelorette party, and one of them ends up married to a Chippendale. Right?
@hovy: I am going to hunt that down. That's really upsetting.
I think people would buy a movie like that if the studios gave it the same consideration they give to movies like The Hangover. WildCrazyTimez!Previews, incessant TV spots, and slap Judd Apatow's name on it, and it'd probably make some money. (I can dream, right?)
I watch movies like this from the perspective of "Ha ha! Look at these assholes and their shenanigans!" rather than "Look at these people that I identify with and aspire to be!"
I realize that many people don't view movies like this. But I watch it like how I watch drunk people act foolishly at fratty bars. It's entertaining.
@morninggloria: I think that's probably how they are intended to be watched. Still not sure if I want to see it, but I don't think these are aspirational.
@morninggloria: I just wish the filmmakers made it a little more obvious (if this is what they even intend) that we're not supposed to like these assholes.
Kicking and Screaming (not the Will Ferrell movie) is a good example of the bro movie done right. "Dr. Faggot," however, makes it seem as though Hangover won't be among its ranks. And a shame it is, because I love going to the movies. It is among my top 5 favorite recreational activities.
@morninggloria: YES. I hate that whenever an Apatow-like film comes out we have to have this discussion. The characters in these films are not meant to be ideals. They're childish morons. When we hear "Dr. Faggot" we laugh at the fact that the person saying it couldn't find any other insult that "Dr. Faggot." It's a lame comeback from an asshole, that's the funny.
@morninggloria: Well, sure, but so many movies of this type get made, thus reinforcing the centrality of the white/straight/male experience. It's very rare to never that a similar movie would be made from a perspective of female/gay/POC characters. Harold and Kumar is one, and that got considerably less marketing.
In the past few years, for some reason I've found that these sorts of films (you know, things like I Love You Man or this and to an extent Old School)...aren't really that funny anymore. Maybe it's the fact that their entire plots revolve around this sort of Neverland philosophy of men not wanting to grow up, but most of the jokes just seem too easy and juvenile.
@Turd Ferguson: What I appreciated about I Love You, Man was how Jason Segal's character learned that he had to grow up and give a little too. At least that's what I got from it. I also thought Rashida Jones' character was smart and sweet, and far from a shrew.
I'm probably going to see this, and I will probably laugh at a great deal of it, but I am really getting tired of bros and the notion that hipster bros are so far above your garden variety frat douche simply because their jokes are slightly more clever.
@hortense: Can somebody please name some hipster bro movies? I hope not Wes Anderson. Do I love him because he is only slightly cleverer than that crap trailer? I very likely could be that lame.
Glad I got this warning, I'm seeing this movie tonight with 3 guys.
When will these types of movies start realizing that women can deliver punchlines too? That women don't have to be an anchor around the plot's neck, they can be protagonists too?
06/05/09
06/05/09
I have seen the film. I was able to preview it a week ago. The depiction of the Asian character was especially uncomfortable and insulting (and I'm not Asian).
In addition, the female characters were MESSED UP. As noted, the smart and take-charge woman was depicted as a total controlling bitch. The hooker was completely passive and sweet; therefore, all of the men loved her. The bride, who had no clue as to what was going on, looked like she professionally modeled in her spare time. This seemed to be a way of okaying the idea of a fun-loving guy willingly giving up his life to become a staid married man (at least that's the way I saw it). Although she is upset that her fiance may not show up to the wedding on time, this is all she seems to care about. She doesn't have much interest as to why the guys want to spend an additional night in Vegas, or what they're doing there. Her concern is solely with saving face with the impatient wedding guests. Once the groom shows up, all is forgiven, and she never even asks about his adventures in Vegas.
The closing credits are a photo montage of what happened that first night in Vegas, complete with naked strippers galore. The possibility that the fiance may have had sexual encounters with one or more women is presented as an acceptable bachelor's party experience. There is even a comment at the wedding reception between the guys, something to the effect of him having to straighten up after this point so that he can enjoy a peaceful marriage - because, you know, his wife might not be so understanding next time.
Ugh. I could go on and on, but you get the point. And, if you're like me, you see educational opportunities in EVERYTHING, and are able to laugh at some moments and reflect at others.
06/05/09
Honestly, I found Ghosts of Girlfriends Past infinitely more offensive and disturbing than Observe and Report. I won't rant on about it here, but if you're interested in the similar issues I had with that movie: [acerbicbubblegum.blogspot.com]
06/05/09
06/05/09
This is because I am basically a bro in a girl's body. Sadsies.
06/05/09
06/05/09
06/05/09
A small coterie of white, adult males willing to act like asses while women are painted as shrews or whores (never capable of enjoying or participating in the fun, or enjoying it so much you are expected to think of them as deviant), while any actor of color is played to stereotype 100 times out of 100? Where's my ticket?
God..... if we could just take all the energy, time, and script-writing put into this movie and use it to make something else, something new, i'd be happy.
06/05/09
06/05/09
06/05/09
He's actually a New York-trained theatre actor, so I know he's capable of more than this. (Also, rumor has it he's gay gay gay.)
06/05/09
I am pleased that he is being cast in actual movies & not just a major player in my dreams.
06/05/09
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06/05/09
I'm thinking of heading to Up and ditching the 3D glasses, since they rarely do me much good anyway.
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06/05/09
This plot would work just as well if Rachel Harris, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph went to Vegas for a bachelorette party, and one of them ends up married to a Chippendale. Right?
06/05/09
It ended up going straight-to-video. After sitting on the shelf for two years.
06/05/09
I think people would buy a movie like that if the studios gave it the same consideration they give to movies like The Hangover. WildCrazyTimez!Previews, incessant TV spots, and slap Judd Apatow's name on it, and it'd probably make some money. (I can dream, right?)
@greengrey: And he's played by Ed Helms.
06/05/09
06/05/09
I realize that many people don't view movies like this. But I watch it like how I watch drunk people act foolishly at fratty bars. It's entertaining.
06/05/09
06/05/09
Kicking and Screaming (not the Will Ferrell movie) is a good example of the bro movie done right. "Dr. Faggot," however, makes it seem as though Hangover won't be among its ranks. And a shame it is, because I love going to the movies. It is among my top 5 favorite recreational activities.
06/05/09
People miss the ironic factor in these movies.
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Seriously?
06/05/09
When will these types of movies start realizing that women can deliver punchlines too? That women don't have to be an anchor around the plot's neck, they can be protagonists too?