Easy A ( 2010 )

Feminist Film Theory

Feminist film theory was started in the 1920s, and emphasize at women’s representation for her own subjectivity. This ideology is basically discuss about the social sexual equality to show a women’s right. As we known that, women have their fixed role which is be a housewife and give birth all these stereotype. Feminist Film Theory against all the rigid role in a movie and give the greater development of a women’s role in film. This theory became matured in the late 1960s, after the radicalized feminist movement.

Theory Discussion

To explain Feminism in more detail is a set of political practices that seen through the analyses of the social or historical position of women. From subordinated, oppressed or exploited in dominant modes of production (such as capitalism) and /or by social relations of patriarchy or male domination. Film are usually viewed as a reflection of the society, there are many film involve the ideological and social contraction of women. The themes to search in feminist theory include discrimination, objectification, stereotyping and more. Laura Mulvey is the most important role in discussion of Feminism Film Theory. She claims the visual pleasure of females on screen this also knows as “the gaze”. Mulvey expanded the concept of scopophillia to introduce visual pleasure.

Synopsis

A high school girl, Olive Penderghast lied to her best friend, Rhiannon Abernathy that she lost her virginity with a college guy. This rumour soon spread to all the students in the school. Then, one of her classmate Brandon is bully by the others because his homosexuality. He ask Olive to pretend sleep with him at a party so everyone can accept him. This rumour again spread fast to the whole school. A lot of people come and ask Olive to help them and will pay to her. Olive feel people harass her and she started feel she care about this. Olive ask those people who she had helped to tell the true to everyone but no one want to help. At the end of the movie, Olive tells all the true to everybody via webcast to choose what she wants to be.

Analysis

There are some female representation in this film, the first character is the main actor, Olive Prendergast also is the protagonist of this film. This is the character I like most in the whole movie because she is independent and willing to help people. From the way she help people we can see how she manipulating people to follow what she wants to do and this can related to the femme fatale. Form the way she talking and walking after she is “officially” be a slut that given by her best friend Rhinnon. This can also know as post modernism in this film which include not only one criticism.

Back to the topic, in the way how Olive do what she wants to do is totally different compare to a traditional women role. For example like when she agree to help Brandon to have sex with him. Olive likes to do everything she wants and also show to the audiences what a female should behave. Female have the right to do whatever they want. Olive is very strong she does not care about what other say and what other people think she is a slut. She is brave when face the rumours that she sleep with Brandon, people again misunderstood about her but she do not care even is her best friend Rhinnon. Olive again and again put herself to worse situation but it is what she had choose. However , at the end the rumours is getting serious and influence her life she decided to find the people she helped before to help her. Olive realise that she is care about what other people talk about her, even she help others before there is no one will help her when she is in trouble. So she decided to tell everyone the true by using the webcam. This behaviour also telling us, Olive has the right to choose what she wants to. She is showing the ability to her choices not follow what other tell her what to do.

The next person is her best friend, Rhinnon is jealous Olive because Olive suddenly become famous in the school. Rhinnon want people to like her so she join others to put the stigma to Olive and even do not ask the true from Olive.  When Marianne’s boy-friend was infected the virus, he say that it is because of Olive infect to him. Rhinnon take the board with others to blame Olive so that she can accept by the other.

The following person is Mrs Griffith who is a counsellor in the school. She is the “real slut” in this movie and she try to pretend like she is not. She sleep with her student which is Marianne’s boy-friend and infected STD to him. When Olive went to her room she giving the excuse that she is lonely because of her husband is too busy. Mrs Griffith trying to manipulate Olive to help her.

The last person is Olive’s mother is very supportive when Olive making a decision. She is also a smart mother in the way she help Olive, is give the right to Olive to do what she think is right. Olive’s mother also loving her daughter we can notice it when Olive is not happy, she will tell the story to her Olive that she is also like that when young.

Conclusion

This film is very interesting because of the feminist theory that used in the movie. This film is much different compare to a man is a stronger role than the women. Female can also be strong and independent to do what they what and not follow what others tell them to do.

References:

“Feminist Film Theory.” A Woman's Choice: The Right to Privacy and the Right to Choose - The Feminist EZine, www.feministezine.com/feminist/film/Feminist-Film-Theory.html.

beth.taylor. “Feminist Films.” NFSA, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, 4 June 2017, www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/feminist-films.