Updating the ‘Women’s Film’

Posted on 27 September, 2018

In the good-old-bad-old days of Hollywood, some films were made specifically for the female market and even today the RomCom genre is focussed on the so-called pink dollar.

However, there are two films screening at the moment that beat this trope at its own game. If you are looking for relief from the plethora of children’s film (school holidays start at the end of the week), look no further than these.

Buy Local: Ladies in Black

If, like me, you’ve read the book and seen the musical you’ve probably already seen this lovely, lovely film.

Directed by national treasure Bruce Beresford it boasts a great local cast and two perfect imports to play ‘continentals’. English Julia Ormond (Legends of the Fall, siiigh) dons a robust figure and a near impenetrable accent for the wonderful Magda and the stuff of my dreams (in the 1990s), Vincent Perez, is excellent as her husband Stefan.

Local ladies Angourie Rice and Rachel Taylor share the lead but it is really the most blissful ensemble acting of a great story and a moment in time when Australia began to tentatively look outwards, rather than assuming everything would be right, mate.

It can be enjoyed as a light and lovely moment in time, especially with the attention to detail in wardrobe and outdoor locations. However, the subtle undertones of loneliness, discrimination (against the ‘wogs’, the young and particularly the female), discovering sex, discovering literature and (perhaps most importantly) accepting the joy of the individual, regardless of society’s mores – make this an important statement on empowerment, encased in sugar like an almond.

Yes, there are a couple of anachronisms (a modern yacht mast, televised horse racing) – but if you spot them, you are nitpicking and not enjoying this time tunnel that depicts us, our Australia, as we were: sun-drenched but a bit daggy, very floral and quite removed from the world.

Quality Import: A Simple Favour

If, like me, you have not read the book then some of this may be odd – the husband has an assistant that has little to do with the action and may be a leftover from print (just as an example). However, that aside, this is an enjoyable story. There are good-looking leads, twists and turns, a few little jumps and some incredible outfits. So far, so typical ‘women’s film’ standards.

Blake Lively’s character is the point of difference. She is an achingly glamorous, delightfully non-PC mum and, really, a right bastard. If the role were male she would be played by someone attractive that we know can be a villain – Alexander Skarsgård or Walton Goggins spring to mind. But Lively has maintained in interviews that it is time for women to inhabit ‘unlikeable’ roles. Not a male role rewritten, but a role like this one – evil in a very feminine way. Her character is attractive and repulsive at the same time.

Which is not to dismiss Anna Kendrick’s uber-perky, over-achieving single mum. She is identifiable, familiar and so enjoyable to watch, with a deep, dark secret that not even the nosy stay-at-home-mums know. The chemistry between Kendrick and Lively is also better than the last few sets of romantic leads I’ve seen too. This film is great fun – dark emotions writ large in bright colours.

So if you don’t have children, or need a break from animation – take your mum to the first film and your cocktail-drinking friend to the second!

Roslyn saw both films as a guest of Limelight Cinemas Tuggeranong.

Feature image: facebook.com/ASimpleFavorMovie