directed by Alex Garland
Some people say it’s a really lame horror. Some others say it’s a disgusting production for feminists. Well, I think it’s a very intriguing film that you should definitely see and I hope that today’s post will encourage you to it. Before I move to the plot, I have to admit that the title made me chuckle a bit – a horror titled “Men”. Oh yeah, already creepy. But jokes aside, this film is actually some serious extension of that thought of mine. We get to know Harper (Jessie Buckley) who has recently lost her husband, James (Paapa Essiedu). The man committed suicide, which deeply impacted Harper. That is why she’s decided to rent a house in a tiny village and spend some holiday there clearing her mind. The situation is a bit more complex as Harper wanted to divorce James and they weren’t anyhow perfect together, so her grief is very specific. Would you miss a person who used to be your abuser? And that’s not the only difficult question that may come up during this film. Even though Harper is spending the holiday in the middle of nowhere, she still bumps into random local men. I’d like to say that they are strange, but if I think about it – most of them are just typical men you may meet everywhere. Perhaps just because the film itself creates this uncomfortable atmosphere you may have an impression that those guys are somehow overacted or unrealistic. And as I mentioned at the beginning – men can be a real horror we normally don’t notice. If you’re a man reading this post, let me just assure you that I do not blame only men for all the mess that happens in the world. However, this film is mainly focused on showing how sick and harmful patriarchy is. Each of the men that Harper meets in this story is different, yet all of them manage to use their power to manipulate and harm the female protagonist. I have to say that the ending wasn’t really my thing and I was hoping for something slightly different (although visually – it was disgustingly wonderful), but the whole production definitely caught my attention. I didn’t know what this story was actually about before watching, so I really enjoyed experiencing this patriarchal rollercoaster together with Harper. Well, “enjoyed”. After, I’ve read some reviews and I feel like this film is a real drama starter. Funny fact is that it’s not hated only by men or more conservative groups – lots of feminists disliked it in some way as well. From my side – I loved how fresh it was, meaning it wasn’t another copy-paste production that I won’t remember in a month. And no matter whether you agree or disagree with its messages, I guess you can admit it is quite original in its form. When it comes to the story… let me put it this way: been there, done that. What you see in this film isn’t surprising for women. Being treated as an object that belongs to a man? Check. Being manipulated by a man to make you feel like you’re the abuser although clearly you’re the victim? Check. Being ignored by men because they rarely take you seriously? Check. Being called a “bitch” just because you refuse something? Check. It’s not just a film screenplay, it’s reality of millions of women. Once again, I’m aware of the fact that women are not perfect either and they may maltreat another person as well, but explaining men’s, or anyone’s in fact, behaviour by saying “others do that too” is below shallow. If you’re a woman who sees herself in Harper, let me just send you a virtual hug right now. And if you’re a man who feels disgusted by the men presented in the film, let me just say “thank you for being”. But if you’re a man who doesn’t see anything wrong in this patriarchal picture, then I hope you find help and love one day. I’m not rating this film high because I did hope for something else at the end, but generally – it’s a great production to wake up our minds and I hope it’ll wake up yours as well. Let’s hope all those apples fall down eventually.
My rating: 6/10
S.
I have nothing to watch 