Film Critique
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"He's just not that into you"
Introduction
"He's just not that into you", is an American romantic comedy drama film that was released in 2009. The name of movie derived from the line of dialogue in the movie, "sex and the city". The plot of the film comprises of nine young residents of Baltimore who were dealing with the problems of relationship. At the center of the plot is a character who is striving to get her "Mr. Right". Her name is Gigi and she is always found interested in looking for a perfect match for herself. It is significant to note that she overgeneralizes every sign she encounters, always thinking that the one she met is interested in her. Gigi is always encouraged by Beth and Janine who tell her stories about women who are married but their male counterparts were not interested in them initially. Janine is married to Ben and she is an actual neatness freak as his father died of lungs cancer so she is very conscious of smoking and cigarette smoke. Ben met Anna in a grocery store where he helped her be the 1000 customer and win a water cooler. He revealed that he is married and he can help her in her singing career as he has several contacts. (Behrendt, et, al. 2009)
Beth another character live with Neil and they have passed seven years together in a relationship. She wants to get in a married relationship but Neil is not interest in marriage. Gigi came to know Connor a real estate agent, and she tried to overgeneralize his expression in order to make herself believe that Connor is interested in her. Connor started a quasi-relationship with Anna instead, although she was not interested. After sometime Gigi called for Connor and ended up telling his friend Alex that she has his pen. Alex clearly tells her that Connor is not interested in her and if a man wants a woman he would be very clear in his actions. He directed Gigi that women should stop looking for excuses for why men don't look ahead to them. He clarifies that all stories that Gigi have heard are exceptions. Getting inspired by Alex, shared her discussion with Janine and Beth. Obsessed by emotions, Beth looked for Neil and asks if he will marry her, he failed to answer so both of them broke up. Anna and Ben meet again, revealing that two of them are attracted to each other. Both of them carried out an affair where Janine found an ashtray in the house. She yelled at Beth and he denied. Everything was getting settled taking into account that Anna was now interested in Ben. Gigi was stuck in the same attempt to look for Mr. Right, by asking for advice from Alex. One day, at a party, Alex invited Gigi and she storms out all her emotions, leaving Alex stunned. Ben and Janine get into a fight in terms of cheating, Ben tells Janine but she insisted that they can work it out. The other day Anna and Ben were in office when Janine knocks at the door and tries to seduce Ben while Anna was hiding in the closet. After Jenine leaves, Anna shouted at Ben and ended with him. With the passage of time, Alex came to know that he has fallen for Gigi, Janine leaves Ben after finding cigarettes in her pocket and Anna met Connor but rejected his proposal. Conner met Mary and they started a relationship while Neil and Beth married each other and Janine and Ben get divorced. (Behrendt, et, al. 2009).
Thesis Statement
In accordance with women psychology, “he’s just not that into you” is a clear illustration of a guide map that directs women not to waste time for relationships that don’t serve. The movie defines the stance of pathological rationality in patriarchal society where a major section of familial relationships is dependent on male counterpart.
Discussion
There are different themes in the movie such as, “women should not try to spark emotions”, “Realistic Expectations”, “Gendered Roles”, “Traditional Pedestal”, “battles of sexes” and “The power problem”.
Women should be emotionally self-dependent
“He’s just not that into you” has an underlying theme of the fact that women should not try to spark emotions. The moment a woman tried to spark emotions; she would be carving her own destruction. It can be found in the movie that all the women are troubled because of their emotional stance. Anna’s revealing of her interest lead her to a great shock. Gigi’s attempts to infer emotional appeals and overgeneralization always ended up in destruction and emotional instability. (Aryani, et, al. 2017). This theme also reflects a patriarchal society where a woman is confined to the realms of "commodification”, they are used as an object to appeal emotions but a personal understanding of such emotions is disturbing for themselves.
Realistic Expectations
Realistic expectations refer to the analysis of expectation that a woman has associated with the people around her. “He’s not just that into you”, highlights this theme in the form of a central character Gigi. It is asserted that her stance of over-generalization and expecting too much was the cause of her disturbance. The negation of her expectations she associates with everyone she met was the sole reason that tarnished her mental peace. Gigi was so obsessed with the feeling of “liked by” that she could not manage to address and accept the reality. The same stance of realistic expectations can be also found in the character sketch of Anna who thinks that Ben while stay by her side and expected a loyal relationship from him, despite knowing that he is married. Another character, Janine associated unrealistic expectations with Ben, asserting that he will not smoke in accordance with her instructions. All these expectations are depicted as unrealistic so they are disturbing for subject character. (Aryani, et, al. 2017). After an analysis of the overall baseline of the movie, it can be found that realistic expectations highlight "status of women”. Even today, women are treated other to men, there are very few cases in which women expectations are fulfilled in terms of taking them serious and wearable. The response of the above-mentioned characters got to highlight that woman never beheld an equal share in expectations. Only male counterpart has the right to question the obligations of expectations, where women are considered as, "obliged to" and men as "conditioned”. It can be said that the movie highlights the status of women where there is no place where women can share their emotions. She has to rely on herself and other women rather than a male counterpart. (Aryani, et, al. 2017).
Gendered Role
It has been a long time that society has already defined certain role that both the genders have to perform. These roles require women to be submissive, weak and dependent. In accordance with “He’s not that into you”, it can be extracted that a nice and good girl is the one who is seen acting in the realms of “gendered roles”. It can be found that women have no right to speak up for what they deserve because when Beth tried to question Neil regarding their marriage, he broke up. It is significant to note that among many of dreams is the fantasy of marriage that a girl long for, living parallel to gender roles but these roles don’t allow her to question her relationship status. It was the impact of gendered roles that made Gigi continuously look for Mr. Rigt because a woman is obliged to marriage. (Aryani, et, al. 2017). It is important to note that this theme is a clear illustration of sexist behavior where women have to abide by their gender roles, they cannot express their feelings else they would lose their identity. This theme is a major tool to let people visualize the reality of a male-female relationship where women are “wo-men”, they don’t have the same position as that of men. (Aryani, et, al. 2017). It is significant to note that gendered role is one of the major catchlines because Beth also strives to ask Neil about their marriage, the role of a wife is one of the basic gender role associated with women. This theme is directly related to the picture of women in present society where Alpha women are treated as something very horrible because they question their existence and strive for their life, while beta women are acceptable with ample satisfaction because men know that they will not oppress. (Aryani, et, al. 2017).
Traditional Pedestal
“He’s not into you” is a movie that clearly determines the traditional pedestal of society. In accordance with advanced women psychology, women are assigned a specific pedal that made them capable and well deserved for their roles and duties. As soon as a woman tries to reach other limits that are beyond her pedestal objectives, she is fallen from her pedestal as well. It can be seen that Beth is doomed to break up because she asks about her marriage that is something out of the traditional pedestrian. Side by side, Gigi has to encounter continuous denial and rejection because she was too conscious about her Mr. Right, taking into account that traditional pedestal never allows women to judge men, only males have the right to do so. This theme also highlights the portrayal of women in the film because Anna falls from the pedestal because of her rejection towards Corron and it doomed her to live alone. (Aryani, et, al. 2017). Traditional pedestal asserts men to have a “dominant” and “independent life”, highlighting that there would be no negative impact on a male partner if there is a breakup; only women are concerned about their relationship. It asserts that men are very clear in their relationship goals. Women always try to save the relationship but men are assertive towards their choice. This theme highlights the basic objective of patriarchal society, depicting women as something dependent and “doomed to”.
Battle of Sexes
He’s not that into you is a clear depiction of the battle of sexes. It can be asserted that all the characters in the movie are striving for themselves. There is no emotional stance for the other gender. It is significant to note that Gigi is concerned with her life and choices, taking into account that she is trying her best to get her Mr. Perfect without thinking about what other's think. On the other hand, all men portrayed in the movie are showing the same theme taking into account how Alex is concerned about her love partner. It is significant to note that Connor is not longing for the one who longs for her; in fact, he is looking ahead towards his choices. It can be asserted that both the sexes are fighting for their identities and space in society, the conflict between Janine and Ben determine how both the genders are looking for their freedom, considering one’s freedom is against the will of others. (Aryani, et, al. 2017). It can be profoundly noted that He’s not that into you reflects that men are looking for their freedom they are tied to their comfort while alpha women are striving for their rights and freedom; they are completely reluctant to the excuses that men pose. Battle of sexes determines and portrays the subjugated and submissive role of women, taking into account that women cannot question men in terms of emotions and feelings. He’s not into you is also a hallmark of sexual and gender difference where women are just the commodificators, void of “belongingness”.
The power problem
It is significant to note that the movie, “He’s not into you”, determines the power problem that determines the conflict between the two sexes. The movie highlights that there is an ever prevailing conflict between male and females. Women try to achieve power by considering themselves a major and prominent section of society by convincing and directing their standards on the realms such as authoritative bodies, emotions, power of decisionmaking and the analysis of “illusion of control” (Aryani, et, al. 2017). It has been asserted that alpha women are trying to get power by getting them indulged in economic realms. The power problem can be termed as the restriction that Janine wants to impose on her husband, the emotional obsession that Beth wants from Neil and the impression of belongingness that Gigi looks for. It would not be wrong to say that it was the emphasis of power problem that made Anne broke up with Ben and refute the proposal of Connor. This power problem depicts today’s society where there is a clash between the two genders, men have ever belonging right of owning and disowning while women are the subject that has to face it all without any objection. (Aryani, et, al. 2017).
Conclusion
The movie defines the pathological rationality in a patriarchal society where a major section of familial relationship is dependent on the male counterpart. In accoprdance with the six themes that are mentioned above, it is asserted that he’s not into you is a clear portrayal of the position of women in the patriarchal society where men are treated as dominant beings and women have to experience alienation. Even the meaning of the movie determines the stance that is associated with modern women who are trying to overcome the failures of past adhering to the stereotyped thinking in which women should be confined to the realms of homes and other gendered roles. There are several other factors that are important to consider such as power distribution, the stance of perception that if a man pose any excuse he is not meant for you and he won’t serve you. It is important to note that one of the major factors that is associated with movie is the portrayal of women psychology that is derived under the impact of this movie. It would not be wrong to say that in broader terms, this film pave the way for extremist thinking that highlights that one should trust the signs and they should try to adhere to the fact, if someone is not interested in them, he will definitely make an excuse and women should not look back to such entity. In terms of social spectrum, it can be found that the film is a mode of changing the thought spectra of girls, side by side it ensures men mentality that men are much open to what they want in their lives.
References
Aryani, A. N. (2017). Conversational styles and misunderstanding in cross-sex conversations in He are Just Not That into You Movie. LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching, 19(1), 1-11.
Behrendt, G., & Tuccillo, L. (2009). He's just not that into you: The no-excuses truth to understanding guys. Simon and Schuster.
