So, this is literally another spoiler alert. If you had planned on seeing the movie "Hall Pass," then don't read this - well, unless you want to. Ha.
Just a few minutes ago, I got home from the theater and I'm mad. If you haven't yet heard of this movie, or seen any TV commercials about it, here's the trailer:
Aside from the obvious humor, this movie, in my opinion, had an underlying message: marriage isn't anything to be taken seriously. Women's hopes and dreams are getting married and having children. They live out their dreams all the time. Ohhh, but men on the other hand, they don't get to live out their dreams. They don't get to "bone" any woman they want, whenever they want... because that's the ultimate man's dream, isn't it? Most poor men never get to live out that dream though, do they? They're overbearing, "neurotic" wives wouldn't ever allow that, right? Wrong.
Then "Hall Pass" was made. Every man's dream is to have a week hall pass in life, right? To have the right; the privilege to do whatever they want for one week... whatever they want. Imagine what that would do to a marriage?
According to the movie, a supposed "hall pass" could save a marriage. This movie made marriage seem like a chore. Men eventually lose interest in their wives, resent having children, and can't "control" their "manly" urges to look at other women while with their wives. Sex is a chore to the women and they'd rather pretend they were sleeping that actually have sex with their husbands.
This movie made me mad.
I understand that this movie was making fun and playing off of every stereotype that was ever created about marriage, and I also understand that there are situations, such as those shown in the movie, but there's a much larger issue here.
These men in the movie weren't satisfied with the women they had. No. They wanted young, sexy, easy women. Of course. I lost count of the shots of women's asses, breasts, stomachs, legs, etc. There was actually a point during the movie that I was taking notes. Yeah, I'm the kind of person that takes notes during a movie, but that aside, men are being told that this type of behavior is all right, and acceptable!
The husbands in that movie were seen as incompetent, irresponsible, and child-like. The first thing I thought of was Sarah Haskins and the skit she did titled, "Doofy Husbands." Sarah basically goes on to explain that the media portrays married men as "husbands that can't do stuff.... he was so cool and then he got married, and now he's slightly dumber than a dog."
These men in the movie, "Hall Pass," reminisce about their pre-married lives; how much fun they had before they were tied down, all the chicks they slept with, and how hot and manly their bodies were. According to this movie, marriage ruins not only relationships, but can really "demasculinize" a man. Oh, dear.
The entire movie was riddled with stereotypes that made it so predictable. The ending was as expected - the wives took the husbands back after their "hall passes," and everything was fine. Everyone was happy and all that jazz... typical. Just to add, as well, one of the wives had sex with a complete stranger, as well as her husband sleeping with a women he barely knew. And the only reason I'm saying that is because I would hate for anyone to read this and think I'm sexist or leaving any part of the movie out. Believe me, I've taken every part of that movie into consideration when writing this post, and yes, you're right - most of this was written entirely out of anger.
Usually I would be mad at feminism for "ruining" this movie for me. Sometimes I wish that I could just be dumb and not understand social stereotypes, gender roles, or feminism in general. Just for one night. I mean, can you blame me?
I realize that I shouldn't be so upset over such a silly movie, but stuff like this needs to be talked about. So, if you're an avid feminist, I highly suggest not going to see this movie, or better yet, if you wish to add to my critique, please, I insist that you go see it.