What stuck out to me most was how much I related to the female character. I'm 57 and she is 20 but I could totally relate to how she navigated the short love affair.
The pattern is so familiar. Firstly, knowing nothing about him, she constructs an idea of him in her head, building up a romantic attachment. This attachment becomes so strong, she gets dependent on it and panics when he does not return her texts.
So, to get his attention, she resorts to texting him a photograph of her breasts. Her motivation to pursue him at this point comes from a bruised ego rather than anything real, from not being comfortable with the idea he may no longer be interested.
But then they go on a date. It doesn't take long before she realises they have very little in common, but she pretends to like what he does. When he kisses her the fantasy breaks and the power balance shifts, she realises he is not an experienced older man, he is actually inexperienced and awkward and a very bad kisser.
However, instead of ending it right there, she goes back to his house and ends up having really bad sex. We learn that she thinks it is easier to 'just go through with it' than to say no. She also does it out of a sense of obligation, she feels she is doing him a favour but she is not doing herself a favour at all. This is a common scenario, a default setting, women feeling obligated, to be accommodating, to not speak up or assert themselves.
I disagree that this is a man-hating film. The male character's point of view is revealed as the film goes on. He is understandably confused by her behaviour and near the end we see them curled up together as they shelter from the fire. They are both victims of something bigger. Society. Culture. Technology.
The sense of obligation women feel to just have sex when they don't really want to is a really big issue that needs to be addressed. And this film helps to do that... so well done for making this thought-provoking film!
The pattern is so familiar. Firstly, knowing nothing about him, she constructs an idea of him in her head, building up a romantic attachment. This attachment becomes so strong, she gets dependent on it and panics when he does not return her texts.
So, to get his attention, she resorts to texting him a photograph of her breasts. Her motivation to pursue him at this point comes from a bruised ego rather than anything real, from not being comfortable with the idea he may no longer be interested.
But then they go on a date. It doesn't take long before she realises they have very little in common, but she pretends to like what he does. When he kisses her the fantasy breaks and the power balance shifts, she realises he is not an experienced older man, he is actually inexperienced and awkward and a very bad kisser.
However, instead of ending it right there, she goes back to his house and ends up having really bad sex. We learn that she thinks it is easier to 'just go through with it' than to say no. She also does it out of a sense of obligation, she feels she is doing him a favour but she is not doing herself a favour at all. This is a common scenario, a default setting, women feeling obligated, to be accommodating, to not speak up or assert themselves.
I disagree that this is a man-hating film. The male character's point of view is revealed as the film goes on. He is understandably confused by her behaviour and near the end we see them curled up together as they shelter from the fire. They are both victims of something bigger. Society. Culture. Technology.
The sense of obligation women feel to just have sex when they don't really want to is a really big issue that needs to be addressed. And this film helps to do that... so well done for making this thought-provoking film!