We're entering a new age in the film industry: the age of girl power. Girls have always been in movies, but we've often been sidelining while the boys get all the screen-time. There have been movies with all-girl main characters in the past ("Clueless," "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "Pitch Perfect"), but the trend is really catching on as the 2010's continue.
Consider "Bridesmaids" (2011) and "The Heat" (2013) or the film recently in-theaters, "The Boss." There's something these movies have in common aside from their strong and funny female-driven plots.
That's right. It's America's angel: Melissa McCarthy.
This woman is a powerhouse, if you ask me. While she isn't the only mother-actor-screenwriter out there, I decided to talk about her because I just saw her movie "The Boss." I think it's important to note that she co-wrote this movie and I want to talk about why this is a step in the right direction.
For one, it passes the Bechdel test. If you haven't heard of the Bechdel test, you can read about it here. It basically requires that a film have two, named, female characters who talk about themselves and their interests rather than about men and theirs. Sounds easy enough, right?
Out of 23 movies released in theaters in 2016, nine of them have failed the test either totally or in at least one aspect of the test. That's almost half of the movies released this year so far.
"The Boss" does have moments where the two main characters, Michelle and Claire, talk about men (specifically about their interests in them). However, these moments do not define them or their relationship with one another. And, the main conflict of the movie isn't concerned with men, but rather with Michelle and Claire's opposing motivations.
Because this movie is about girls, we get to see a lot of great things happening between the women in the film. Michelle and Claire create a strong relationship out of a very toxic one. Sure, they get in cat-fights with the rival troupe, but their ability to forgive and be better for it combats the grudge-holding-female stereotype.
There are several reviews that question the comic value of "The Boss," and while I agree with most of them, I'm not too concerned with the movie's value as a comedy. It's not McCarthy's best movie, but it still stands for a great movement that Hollywood needs. It's a movie that was written by a woman, about women.
In about a week, "Mother's Day" comes to theaters. I'm looking forward to what will hopefully be another one for us girls!
