What constitutes a Chick Flick?
I taught at our mid-week service recently on being “in the world, but not of it.” At one point I used the film Chocolat as an example of different ways of engaging culture. The two main characters, the Comte and Vianne, provide a rich example of the difference between religion and spirituality. (NOTE: I’m using those two words as they’ve emerged in our current postmodern lexicon).
At lunch this week, some of my fellow staff members (Patrick, Dana, and Chris) suggested that this film is of the proverbial “Chick Flick” genre. And an ensuing assault upon my masculinity occurred. I'm over it. Really. I am.
I disagreed vehemently.
During the teaching time under consideration, I asked the church “Who’s seen this film?” About a hundred hands went up—of the hundred, approximately eighty-five were women.
Afterwards, a few men came up and said, “Hey, Josh. We’re going to see 27 Dresses at 9:45 p.m.—want to come?”
So, I’m asking you . . .the educated, savvy cultural aficianado—what are the criteria that must be present for a film to be labeled “Chick Flick"?
Please wait one moment . . .
About the Book (The Feast)
About Me
- Josh Graves
- Nashville, TN, United States
- I'm the best friend of Kara, father of Lucas, minister, author (The Feast), life-long Piston fan . . . I am the Preaching and Teaching Minister for the Otter Creek Church (Nashville) and I am working on a doctorate degree (second year) at Columbia Seminary studying the relationship of postmodernism and Christianity.
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22 comments:
a chick flick : a motion picture intended to appeal especially to women. (that is what webster says)
but for real a chickflick is any movie about women, for women, not meant for women but a movie women like... does this sound a bit like the toddlers creed yet? really it just has to be about women for women with a love story weaved somewhere in it. but don't worry josh. i know lots of guys that like chick-flicks. i mean i can tell that you really are over it (...) but i'm just saying.
It's been my observation that men don't enjoy chick flicks for their actual content, but that they wish to understand the female psyche more. There's nothing wrong with men doing some good old-fashioned research. :)
Boy gets girl without violence... chick flick.
Chocolat had a little violence but... that accent puts it in the chick flick genre
i agree with you Josh, i don't think Chocolat is a chick flick... there is so much more to the film (and novel) than a sappy romance... i.e.: the human condition, prejudices about social status or religion, the characters have flaws and strive to overcome themselves.
chick flick: the characters are hollywood beautiful, have no flaws and send off those "this wouldn't happen in real life" vibes.
anyway... Chocolat is more than meets the eye for me.
Wikipedia says, "Chick flick (also "chick's flick") is slang for a movie, usually a romantic, contrived comedy, that appeals to the stereotypical tastes of the female gender. The term was first used in the 1980s[citation needed], a decade during which such chick flicks as Beaches were released. Although many types of films may be directed toward the female gender, "chick flick" is typically used only in reference to films with heavily romantic themes. It is typically not used for high art, feminist subject matter, or romantic comedies intended for a wider audience (such as the 2005 film The Wedding Crashers). The concept of movies designed to appeal specifically to women has existed since the early days of cinema and has been known by other colloquial terms, including "women's pictures." However, women's films such as Brief Encounter, Gone with the Wind and many classic '50s melodramas such as Now Voyager and several directed by Douglas Sirk, it might be argued, are sufficiently different in tone and content to be seen as a sub-genre of women's film."
Jenny: Good thoughts...s Chocolat a Chick Flick, in your estimation?
Cassandra: Research never hurt me. Now Kara's going to use that line, "Josh, let's do some research. '27 Dresses' is a good place to start."
that girl: Hmmm. I see your point, but your definition is too simple for me...half the bible is a chick flick (inlcuding Jesus...but he doesn't get the girl...he gets the church).
Courtney: We agree. Good argumentation...you should be a writer...oh wait.
Josh: Don't ever quote Wiki as a reliable source (he said, talking to himself).
Josh...brother...the fact that you even have to ASK whether "Chocolat" is a chick flick makes it very clear that you will never get past the dictionary definition. I love you man, but you deserve all the ribbing. I'm just glad you like sports.
:-)
feelings, nothing more than feelings.......
If the title of a movie requires you to speak in a French accent in order to pronounce it, it's a chick flick.
thurman8er: I hope my other qualities offset my affinity for movies that deal with dialog, emotion, and relationships.
Jim: now the guy who sings that son guy wasn't a Chick Flick advocate. :)
Wade: that's a response I've gotten from many. Is "Les Mis" a Chick Play? Is "Miss Saigon" a Chick Production? "Passion of the Christ" was in Aramaic...that's certainly not a Chick Flick :)
This has been an interesting dialog.
I would like to propose that there are Sophisticated Chick Flicks (Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Cold Mountain, etc.) and that there are Cheesy Chick Flicks (Sweet Home Alabama, 27 Dresses,etc.).
While I'm not afraid to dabble in the latter, I watch a great deal of the former: hey...got to do my research for Kara (as Jenny pointed out).
I should've also added to the Sophisticated Chick List the following: Steel Magnolia, Beaches (a great movie), and Fried Green Tomatoes.
Chick Flick's are the avenues that lead us into our wives soul. :)
Graves, just suck it up and be confident in your masculanity.
This was a funny blog!
i'm not sure josh. chocolat definitely has the elements of a chick flick. but... it has alot of depth to it as well. even though in my own earlier post i made a chick flick sound immature and flaky- i am not sure i agree that chocolat isn't a chick flick based on the fact that it has depth. there are definitely chick flicks with depth. maybe we could just be ok with the fact that just because it could be described as a "chick flick" doesn't mean it couldn't have value. anyway. i think women would watch that movie expecting a regular "chick flick" and find much more than they thought. and i'm all for that.
Chick Flick: Crux of the story must be that of female/male relationships and primarily told from the perspective of a female.
Compare and contrast "Bull Durham" with "The Natural". "Bull Durham" is a film about the relationship between Crash and Annie as told by - Annie. Nuke and baseball were simply plot devices to show how the relationship evolved during the time period of the film. "The Natural" is a story about a baseball player with the relationship between Roy and Iris being the plot device.
An interesting discussion would be the place of "For Love of the Game" as either a chick flick or a sports flick. I feel that you can't separate the sports content from that of the relationship but since the perspective is that of Billy's it falls predominately under the heading of sports flick.
Fried Green Tomatoes, Beaches, Steel Magnolias, and you forgot...Driving Miss Daisy! Really, any one of these could fight for some of my very favorite movies. And Chocolat? I'm surprised at you, quite shocked, actually. I'm extremely impressed with how comfortable you are in you manliness to admit such things!
Dude. This is so sad. As long as we're naming clues as to whether or not a movie is chick flick, how about:
1. Do Gen X church going men go there with their wives and act like they enjoy it?
2. Does it absolutely NOT include car chases, Sylvester Stallone, or dynamite?
3. Did Josh like it?
I'd write more but they're rerunning "The Magnificent Seven." Gotta go.
Wait. Did "The Natural" just get listed as a chick flick? I must protest. Next they'll be putting "Field of Dreams" in there.
"Field of Dreams" may not be a 'chick flick' but it is definitely sappy beyond the point of reason.
After discussing this, at length, with Josh and others around our office (and at least one restaurant server), I've decided to amend my personal definition of a 'chick flick.'
I think for this category, it must be predominately about romantic relationships. The quality and pattern of a romance is the main point of the film. However, I think there is a whole other category of 'chick-ish' movies that are just sappy and mushy. "Beaches" may not be a 'chick flick,' but it's definitely geared for an overly-emotional audience.
Bring on the Bournes and Rambos for me, please. I watch a fair amount of girlie movies, but not unless it's really worth my time.
thurman8er -
The Natural is not a chick flick. I was comparing it to Bull Durham as a point on how I define a chick flick because they both center a major portion of the story around the same subject - baseball. Bull Durham crosses the line because it's a relationship story first.
Wow. The Chick Flick discussion will not die.
Russel...good thoughts. I like the baseball genre movie as an example/test case. For the record, I liked two out of the three you mentioned (Bull Durham isn't my favorite).
Thurman8er--no one's putting The Natural as a Chick Flick.
Dana--you have very masculine film taste. Just saying...
Patrick--touche. I'll be back.
Wade's criteria is making more sense (scroll to the tope).
I sure wish my wife would weigh in!...you know...testify how great it is to be married to a man who watches a plethora of movies.
I can't comment on Chocolat being a chick flick because I haven't seen it yet. I'll remedy that and weigh in.
Suffice to say that I think there may be a line of movies that blur the line between a good, story driven drama and the sappy, romantic chick flick. For example, it's hard to classify Cold Mountain as a chick flick don't you think? It's a drama that focuses on relationships- all relationship s- with romantic only being one of them. Dan In Real Life is another movie that blurs the lines between what is considered a "Chick flick" and just a drama with humor in it. It definitely has its leanings. Do we think that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a chick flick? It's primary focus IS a romantic relationship, but it doesn't seem to fit in that category.
Just some thoughts to throw out there. This DOES get messy, doesn't it?
My husband can bench press 280 lbs. I think he is masculine enough to watch any movie he wants :)
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