Just Thought I'd Shower and Change
The Family Stone isn't a perfect movie, but when it shines, it's because of the details: the quirks of characters, the surprising dialogue, some unexpected tears.
But this film plays into one of the worst (and most common) character transformation cliches I can think of: going from unkempt to clean. In this film, the Rachel McAdams character goes from spoiled and bitchy to warm and loving. The way this is illustrated for us? Rachel starts as a messy over-sleeper who wears long cardigans and carries an NPR tote bag, to a girl with neatly brushed hair, lipstick, and a sweater set.
Let me say, for the record, that this is a very minor spoiler. The "new and improved" Rachel is seen very briefly in the coda-like ending. But why, why, why does tidy always mean "better person"? Can't we figure out ways to illustrate that someone has changed other than wardrobe? I know it's easy, but come on... this is a film that seems to be about embracing our own special weirdnesses. Tsk, tsk.
I do understand that sometimes this method of illustrating change is a decent strategy. While Life As a House was plagued with other story problems, I actually bought that the Hayden Christensen character's goth gear early on was protesting a little too much. When he finally cleans up, it plays more like a levelling out than a loss of personality.
But here, here... talk about undermining the feeling of the movie. Rachel could've been the poster girl for sweet cardigan-lovin' women everywhere. Instead, she's the poster girl for Future Soccer Moms of America.
The Breakfast Club, anyone? Am I the only one still lying awake at night wishing Ally Sheedy had kept her black eyeliner?
The Family Stone isn't a perfect movie, but when it shines, it's because of the details: the quirks of characters, the surprising dialogue, some unexpected tears.
But this film plays into one of the worst (and most common) character transformation cliches I can think of: going from unkempt to clean. In this film, the Rachel McAdams character goes from spoiled and bitchy to warm and loving. The way this is illustrated for us? Rachel starts as a messy over-sleeper who wears long cardigans and carries an NPR tote bag, to a girl with neatly brushed hair, lipstick, and a sweater set.
Let me say, for the record, that this is a very minor spoiler. The "new and improved" Rachel is seen very briefly in the coda-like ending. But why, why, why does tidy always mean "better person"? Can't we figure out ways to illustrate that someone has changed other than wardrobe? I know it's easy, but come on... this is a film that seems to be about embracing our own special weirdnesses. Tsk, tsk.
I do understand that sometimes this method of illustrating change is a decent strategy. While Life As a House was plagued with other story problems, I actually bought that the Hayden Christensen character's goth gear early on was protesting a little too much. When he finally cleans up, it plays more like a levelling out than a loss of personality.
But here, here... talk about undermining the feeling of the movie. Rachel could've been the poster girl for sweet cardigan-lovin' women everywhere. Instead, she's the poster girl for Future Soccer Moms of America.
The Breakfast Club, anyone? Am I the only one still lying awake at night wishing Ally Sheedy had kept her black eyeliner?
posted by Jennica at 5:25 p.m.
3 Comments:
Hummm, what are some good examples?
It seems like you should definitely have some action, some behavior to show the change. Don’t just leave it up to the folks in wardrobe to show the arc.
Okay, excuse my lame example, but maybe waking up to an early alarm instead of the warmth of the noon sun that is heating up the bed.
Anyhow, you got me thinking.
I think you probably ARE the only one lying awake over Ally Sheedy's eyeliner...
...haven't seen the movie, but completion of ms. McAdam's character arc might have been left to the wardrobe department because she's not the lead character.
Still, yes: do we want the theme to be cardigans are evil? Was every single secretary ever more beautiful without glasses and her hair down? And are those acoutrements evil?
Martian-- exactly. A little change in action is all I'm asking. I often think of "About a Boy"... Hugh finally doing something for someone else, risking his "cool", actually playing guitar and getting into it... all things he simply could not do earlier in the film.
Chris-- you got me thinking... I'm balking at the dirty-to-clean arc, yet you bring up its equally annoying opposite: the uptight-to-relaxed arc, illustrated with hair and glasses. (You can pretty much see this in the Sarah Jessica character in Family Stone, FYI.) Interesting. Apparently healthy, sane women fall somewhere in the spectrum between "too dirty" and "too clean".
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