Movie Matters: Ghostbusters
This post contains spoilers for Ghostbusters (2016)
Do you remember when you were a little kid? Remember playing pretend, acting out scenes from your favorite films or shows and pretending to be your favorite characters? If you’re a girl, that meant that the pickings for characters were often slim. That’s not to say that there weren’t awesome lady characters while we were growing up, but a lot of times even the greats got boiled down to a damsel, a love interest, or a one dimensional character who just liked to punch things. The representation was even less for women of color.
Well, welcome to 2016! Strap on your proton packs and join me in saying ‘safety lights are for dudes’ to the new Ghostbusters!
This film had a lot of obstacles in its way. Not the traditional ones that you would expect any movie to go through, like funding, location, or reshoots. No, this film had bigger roadblocks. Misogyny and racism were the two big ones that hop right to mind. You’ve been on the internet, you know what I’m talking about. You know what this film did in the face of that? It laughed. These ladies ain’t afraid of no ghosts, and these writers ain’t afraid of no trolls. There are several shout outs in the film to the deplorable comments that have been coming through online, and each time they’re made into a punchline, because that’s all they are.
The obstacles presented to Ghostbusters didn’t quench the film’s spirit, it set it ablaze. That in and of itself is an inspiring message to send to women both young and old, but that wasn’t enough for anyone involved. These were real women, with real dimensions. They had fears, and doubts, and they made more than one mistake. The Ghostbusters weren’t well trained warriors, or scientists who just automatically knew what to do. Instead, they were four women who knew what needed to get done, and had to go through a decent amount of trial and error to get there. Bravery and the scientific method rolled into one film? Yes! Oh, and did I mention that the science was vetted by MIT Physicists?
Let’s see, combating the ‘women aren’t funny’ stereotype? Check! Representing women in science? Check! What’s next? How about the fact that we got to see an entire movie that at no point made ladies feel bad about their bodies? None of the Ghostbusters fell into “traditional beauty standards,” yet all of the women were beautiful in their own way. On the face of it, a lot of viewers might not care, but to a little girl, that shows that you don’t have to be perfectly symmetrical, or look just like any one of the Ghostbusters to be beautiful. It’s your uniqueness that makes you stunning, and it should be celebrated in the same way that these women celebrate it.
Little girls have a Patty now. Each of the women brought their own strengths to their role, and while Holtzmann was a personal favorite, I think Patty shone the brightest. Stunningly beautiful, sassy, and not just clever, but smart. Initial reactions to the trailers had people upset that she wasn’t a scientist, but they presented us with a character with enough brains that could have easily been a scientist if that’s what she chose to do, and good lord is Leslie Jones hilarious or what?
I tried to be a bit objective in what I broke down above, but I have to tell you that this film matters so much. Little girls no longer have to wait 2, 3, or even more decades to have a movie like this. They no longer have to see something with women who are strong in all different ways. With flaws and fears, who make mistakes but keep fighting through the mess of people who would tell them to sit down. To give up. Women both young and old got to see an amazing fight sequence featuring women who weren’t sexualized amidst the fight. No strategic tears in clothing, no forced poses or overly flattering angles, just tough ladies bustin’ ghosts!
I’m not going to lie to you guys, I cried. I cried because seeing this wasn’t just great for young women. It’s great for those of us who waited, too. When they rounded the corner in the Ecto and the theme started up, I was toast. Then Holtzmann’s fight sequence? Man… can I be her when I grow up? I was elated. I don’t even have words for how cool that was to see, but I have a feeling a lot of you already know.
We’ve talked a lot about young women, and why Ghostbusters is important for them to see, but I feel that I should be clear that I think this is a film for everyone, and just as important for young men. The thing about cultural stereotypes is that they aren’t inherent, they’re taught. It’s not always intentional, but media definitely plays a roll in that conditioning. Young men should see just what women are capable of, and if there was ever a movie to illustrate healthy teamwork with interesting lady protagonists, this is it.
I’ve gushed long enough! What were your favorite moments in the film? Whether you were hyped about the cultural relevance, or just happy to be back in the universe (or both!) shoot us a tweet and let us know!
Featured Image via ghostbusters.com
Gifs via Giphy
