For those of you who don't know, in Yiddish, a geschrei is a bellow or scream.
So here I am, complaining in a loud voice. As per use...
So here I am, complaining in a loud voice. As per use...
I am not intending to turn this blog into purely pop-culture commentary, but allow me to view a few things through the feminist wedding goggles. The fiance and I went to see The Invention of Lying, and interesting conversations ensued. Both of us are huge Ricky Gervais fans, and I truly believe that he is one of the great undiscovered acting talents of our time...everybody loves his comedy, but my man can actually act. Most great comedians can, but again, not widely recognized.
We really liked the movie, and it totally spoke to the moral atheist in both of us, as in "while I might not believe in god, I believe in the potential of people to be good and connected to something larger than themselves." So hooray.
BUT,
(as always I have a big but)
It must be at least noted that even in this world where short, pug-nosed, fatties manage to get the girl despite a scathing honesty that would have most of us curled in the fetal position for the duration of our lives, the fact remains that short, fat, pug-nosed ladies not only DON'T get to win, but they in fact DON'T EVEN EXIST.
Ricky Gervais and Louis C.K. and (for god's sake, really?) Jonah Freakin' Hill manage to find meaning in life, despite their slovenly appearances and dimwitted natures. And by the way, shame on you for your unwarranted sighs and dirty looks aimed at the chubby guys on the elevator (The whole movie reeked of "Well, you are thinking it, even if you're saying it. And really, isn't that just as bad?"). But look around this alternate truth telling Hollywood world; fat ugly chicks are nowhere to be found.
Imagine this movie with Rosie O'Donnel as the lead? Never happen. Even our funny ladies are the Cameron Diaz's and Jennifer Aniston's of the world. Its seems that unless you win the DNA lottery, YOU CAN'T TELL YOUR STORY. Not even as the funny girl. With the exception of Hairspray (1988), you never see the fat girl get the guy in a movie. And the only movie since Hairspray that went out on such a limb? The remake of Hairspray (2007). Think about it. Can you name another one? ONE MORE?! (OK, I can name one more: Babycakes, 1989, but I don't really count it because it was hardly a huge hit, and it was Ricki Lake again, and she is not the only fat girl in the world!)
There are exceptions, but let's face it, for the most part, average women are relegated to the cashiers and nurses and the occasional sidekick. It's not a cake walk for average men, but its not even close to what women face.
Maybe the Invention of Lying people were making an even larger statement that the odds are so stacked against the less "attractive" females, that in a world with no pleasantries or falsities, the less appealing of the gender would have died off generations ago. Somehow, I doubt it. I am sure upon a second viewing I would find some less-than-gorgeous-by-Hollywood-standards women in the background, filling up the bit parts. But my point is the same.
And consider this: for the overweight and/or far less than perfect women of the world, (and the truth is, most of us have been one at some point in our lives) we don't have to imagine an openly hostile world where people's disgust is, if not verbally expressed, than apparent on their face; we live there.
I totally agree with you. I liked the message Gervais was trying to send until I started thinking about what kind of message the movie was sending to overweight, little girls with less than ideal looks.
ReplyDeleteWhy was he chasing the Garner character? Did she have an awesome sense of humor.. did she have an undying generous streak? Seems like he was chasing her for her good looks. hmmm, the same kind of logic the rest of the movie was aiming against.
When I pointed this out, nobody with whom I was watching the movie could see this flaw, which was very frustrating to me. Glad you noticed it too.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding..?
ReplyDeleteThat movie tried to throw one a real curve ball,I saw it coming,kept my eye close on it,and hit it out of the park,if they want it back they can go look for it,its their ball,not mine.I also think Rickey needs to loose some weight and get a nose job,then maybe he will believe in God.
ReplyDeleteBasically,keep a close eye on what advertisers,movies,and what people are trying to communicate to you.If you listen close enough,they most likely are telling you about themselves,their values,and what they want out of you or life,if your gut feeling is that its good,hold on to it,let it go if its not.My gut feeling is that the movie in question was not good,insulting to both women and men,and the human race as a whole.I believe in God,I heard the pros and cons about God,I went out looking for God on my own,I cant say if God is a He or a She,but you will feel Gods presence when the time is right,its a great feeling,give it a try,its free and God asks nothing in return but your love and respect for life.God is life,We are life.I am going to end by quoting Rodney King "Cant we all just get along"
ReplyDeletePlease note,I am not trying to say that Rodney King is God!but life is just asking for your respect,there is no price to pay for that,it asks not to lie,it only asks for your love,that is the truth.Look for it on your own,it takes some time,if you look for it by watching movies like the invention of lying,you will never find it.Please just try it,I want you to feel it,it feels great!I found it on my own and so can you.I only say this out of love.We can all just get along.You now know what to do!Just fill in the blank ___Remember,DO IT ON YOUR OWN!
ReplyDeletePlease note,I am sorry what I said about Rickey,the nose job and all,I felt he was taking a stab at my beliefs and brainwashing his on others,I got a little pissed and I feel it was not the way God would want me to respond.I was just trying to make a foolish point.His physical features are just fine,as for the rest of him,a little self examination might not hurt,I am sorry for my anger and stupid remark.I shall go on and do a little self examining myself.
ReplyDeleteIve seen all kind of hotties with pug nosed men,if it crawls out of a hole with money,just about any bitch will jump all over it,let she who has not sinned cast the 1st stone.
ReplyDeleteThere is no such thing as a moral atheist.The word atheist means to hate God,whats so moral about that?If you need something to hate,try living in a world where no one believes in God,if you think that world would be better,try again,you would have a bigger list of things to hate.Once you start exercising love over hate,then only you will find God!The movie The invention of lying was pure brainwash,I could see that coming a mile away.Try seeing the world through your own eyes,not Hollywood's.How about this title "A world without God"I bet Hollywood could whip up a good version on that too,and you would be a sucker enough to eat that to for lunch,or how about "Where atheist no longer exist" or how about"Having fun dining with the devil"
ReplyDeleteThis comments section is quite the party!
ReplyDeleteGood call out on the movie. I'm doing my part by refusing to pay to see movies about unattractive men acting unattractively as they do unattractive (and unimportant) things. I'll pay to see a movie about a man (or men) whose greatness supercedes his looks (Winston Churchill, Civil War docus, etc.) or about an average-but-hot man .... why studios think I would pay to see Adam Sandler make up a tuneless riff full of bodily function jokes is beyond me. (Studios probably don't, though - they assume men hold the purse strings and since men want to see it men will pay and women's opinions don't matter. Although that doesn't explain his casting in a few of the more chick-flicky titles lately).