Title: The Half of It
Released: May 1, 2020
Produced by: Alice Wu
Access on: Netflix
Netflix Summary: When smart but cash-strapped teen Ellie Chu agrees to write a love letter for a jock, she doesn’t expect to become his friend — or fall for his crush.
Gaze Theory: This film does not utilize gaze theory. There are no scenes where characters are nude or objectified. It is a stretch, but it could be argued that Aster’s character represents sexualization and objectification. In one scene of the film she mentions how she is treated because she is ‘pretty’. She explains that people give you lots of things because they want to be like you, not because they like you. Many people are not interested in getting to know her but rather want to be around her because she is conventionally attractive.
Sex Role Theory: This film resists many stereotypes associated with gender. First, the main character of the film, Ellie chu, is an Asian American and she is lesbian. Not only does her character offer representation for Asian people and LGBTQ, she also takes on a more masculine role. She helps Paul write love letters and be more assertive with his feelings; even though Aster believes Paul is the one writing the letters, Ellie is the one being assertive which is a more masculine trait. We also see this at the end of the movie when Ellie kisses Aster. In addition, Ellie steps in as the dad and mom of the house. Her mother passed away when she was young and it was just her and her dad since. Her dad fell into a deep depression so Ellie stepped into his role as well as her mothers.
Effects: This movie challenges a lot of stereotypes that we often see. There is a lot of representation within this film as well considering the main character is an Asian lesbian. The film does focus on love but does so without sexualizing or objectifying the teenagers. Instead, the message is more about being yourself and possibly falling in love with someone unexpected.
Shared by: Olivia smidel
Image Credit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9683478/