I stopped watching a movie because it was offensive in the extreme

[kickassangel]

when i know that i have a load of ironing to do, i like to have some 'mindless' tv to watch, so i got a 'romcom' out of the library. obviously, i expect a huge array of stereotypes & lazy writing, but I was actually quite shocked at how appalling this was.

It's the 'Heartbreak Kid' with Ben Stiller in it. The 'plot' is that he marries in haste to a woman who turns out to be a nightmare whilst they're on their honeymoon, so he spends all his time with another woman who he falls in love with.

i was expecting the 'nightmare' things of the wife to be deliberately manipulative, or cruel or something, (but in a slapstick kind of way) in order to justify this plot.

No.

The 'nightmare' is a woman who is over emotional, over dramatic, and a bit needy. There are some things about her that in rl you'd struggle with, e.g. she's an ex-drug user, but all the other aspects are just exaggerated stereotypes of 'traditionally feminine' characteristics.

I didn't bother watching to the end as the film was pretty boring as well, but I doubt that they turned it around to show a more balanced view.

I was just so disgusted that it
a) used an exaggerated stereotype in such a crass manner,
and that then
b) justified him ditching her on their honeymoon to go out with another woman!!

Shame on everyone involved with the movie. I'm pretty laid back and rarely get upset about light hearted media as I just don't take it seriously, but the attitude behind this was horrific.


No real point to my post except to vent, cos i was so appalled. I've never even started a thread in 'feminism' before.

[lamplighter]

Yep, seen that film. Even the title is bad the 'kid' is a forty year old man ffs.

The ending is awful - it makes you dislike the character even more.

Avoid

[kickassangel]

it just really pissed me off.

one of the 'nightmare' things she did, was want him to hold hands during a meal, and, of course, they were sitting so that his dominant hand was next to her so he still used that to eat & then he crossed his other hand over the plate, making it difficult for him to eat. BUT earlier in the movie, they'd been out cycling & HE wanted to kiss her, so they tried whilst zooming down a hill. She had a 'head over heels' accident that was oh-so-funny.

so when he wants to do silly, impractical shows of affection, it's funny, even when she gets hurt. but heaven help her if she makes his breakfast a bit awkward to eat!! (in fact, it's such a shoddy film that there was a big continuity error in that scene, which shows how cheap it was)

[lamplighter]

I got given it for Christmas by my SIL - she must hate me.........

[lamplighter]

Or the part where she get badly sunburnt and he goes out and leaves her alone and his 'mate' tries it on with her by putting his dick in her hand.

Feckin hilarious

[TheCrackFox]

Lets not even get started on the fact that Ben Stiller isn't even that funny. He is completely over-rated.

[lamplighter]

Or the 'comedy' fat mother at the wedding. My sides nearly split

[kickassangel]

and the best mate who is all sweetness & light to his wife, but is bitching & lying about her behind her back, whilst saying that this is what marriage is.

[lamplighter]

Then again I would rather watch that again than ever have to sit through the second Bridget Jones film.

Now that is two hours of my life I want back.

Hmm - might buy that DVD for SIL this Xmas

[lamplighter]

OP

I bet you have watched the ending now!

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

lamplighter - dick in hand what?

This sounds horrendous.

It might cheer you up to read some of Sady at Tiger Beatdown's film reviews:

• Forgetting Sarah Marshall
  

• Superbad

[QueenofDreams]

Haven's seen it, but I avoid Ben Stiller movies like the plague.

I hate the Hollywood attitude that a man who is caring and considerate to his wife/girlfriend is 'whipped' and a woman asking a man to treat her decently and with respect is nagging and unreasonable. The appropriate male response is to say 'you're not the boss of me' and then go to a bar with his mates. lovely.

[kickassangel]

no, haven't watched any more & not tempted to - dvd in the case & ready to go back to the library

[lamplighter]

Elephants

A stupid scene where the wife is hiding in the bathroom because her face is badly sunburnt. The Mexican 'friend' tries it on with her when she opens the door a little bit so he can slide some food through.

Hysterical

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

have just looked up Ben Stiller - amazing how nearly everything he has been in is pure crap, and a whole load of man-child stuff. The only one I like is The Royal Tenenbaums.

Mind you I could say pretty much the same for Adam Sandler. Maybe it's just that romcoms, despite being for women, somehow have a rule that says that they must indicate some kind of hatred towards women?

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

LL - you're joking? That's unbelievably grim. Am I missing something? That's comedy now? Unexpected sexual assault?

[Beachcomber]

I had the misfortune the other day to watch one of those stupid shows where cheeky chappies pull tricks on members of the public and everyone else laughs at them.

The charming knobbers pranksters had come up with the hilarious idea of sidling up to women in swimming pools and dropping some red ink in the water next to them so it looked as though the woman had started their period in the pool.

How my friends laughed!!

When I pointed out that it was crass and misogynist and utterly unfunny in any way shape or form they did look a bit sheepish but still told me to 'lighten up'.

[Beachcomber]

I then added that it could actually cause harm and be traumatic for a woman who was pregnant - she could think she was miscarrying.

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

But Beachcomber, ladies are funny and gross! But mainly gross!

As Sady says in the Superbad review I posted above: "awful non-male women with their awful non-male vaginas, which you maybe need to fuck in order to get off, but which, if left uncontrolled, will touch you and contaminate you with their filth."

[BertieBotts]

If you've ever had a bath while on your period I doubt you'd be convinced by the ink thing. It doesn't dissapate like that, it sticks together in threads like little snakes or dragons swimming around. But yes awful :(

I can't stand Ben Stiller, everything I have seen him in has been unfunny and crap.

This thread is making me laugh though - I was talking to a male friend the other day who has some 'ishoos' WRT women in general, I was musing about porn and how men in our generation have unrealistic and plainly ridiculous expectations/ideas about sex and what women like. He agreed but then went on to say that women expect men to act like they do in films and that that was also unrealistic

I think I just agreed at the time but I've been wondering ever since what films he could possibly have been referring to!

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

Maybe something with Bruce Willis saving the world? Or Superman perhaps?