Who knew my life was over at 41? It's depressing. So much for 40 is the new 30 etc.
Hollywood has done it again. Now, everyone knows I love the magic of American movies as well as movies from other countries but I have to make a statement about the devaluing of women that the Americans (and probably the Canadians continue to do in their movies).
There's a new movie coming out next week called, "Chuck and Larry Get Married". Or something like that. It will probably be hilarious because it has Adam Sandler and Kevin James in it. There are a couple of possible strikes against the movie - and no I haven't seen it so I don't know for sure but ...
Strike One: Sandler and James pretend to be gay to save James's pension at work. That's not bad ... probably will be funny even. However, I bet you donuts to dollars that there will be some gay stereotyping going on. Which in itself can be amusing... so you say, "hey, what's the problem then?" Well (and again I haven't seen the movie) do we need to have two hours of gay stereotyping in the 21st century with 2 reasonably talented comedians? I say rent Some Like it Hot with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon as a cheap alternative. Lemmon and Curtis dress as women (They are straight guys) who are trying to get out town safely before the mob can kill them and the fun ensues.
and while I am at it... Eddy Murphy quit dressing up as fat black women... it's not funny and I wish your mama would slap you upside the head for building a career on it (lately)!
Strike Two: the third role in the movie belongs to Jessica Biel. I don't think I have seen her in a movie but she is very attractive and she probably is a good actress. My problem is she is 25 (probably 24 when she made the movie) and Sandler is almost 41 and James is 42. I guess no actresses over the age of 30 were available for the role. And I suppose that it is believable that a 25 year old would be an experienced human rights attorney? I work in a law office, hello, wake up - maybe if the lawyer was Doogie Howser! It's not just Catherine Zeta Jones and Sean Connery - the guy has grey hair so it becomes more obvious. So now not only is it hard for actresses to get jobs after they turn 40, apparently the cut off has become 30 and lower. Great ... not that there are many great roles for women in North American films anyways... Thank goodness we will always have Susan Sarandon, Meryl Streep and Jane Fonda.
If I sound bitter, I am. We are probably missing out on great stories with strong female leads. Since the market is aimed at teens and twenties, what do we expect... So go out and see Chuck and Larry - hope it is good - but see a movie where the male and female leads are in the same decade to balance the marketing spectrum a little bit.
