The “Slacker-Striver”
Romantic comedy
The “Slacker-Striver”
Romantic comedy
The Male SlackerThe Male Slacker Late 20s to Early 30s A sweats, shorts, t-
shirt kinda guy Underachiever Favorite Pasttimes:
smokin’ Pot, Drinkin’ beer, surfin’ the web, Hangin’ with the Guys
Turn offs: responsibility, commitment, selling out, breaking a sweat
Late 20s to Early 30s A sweats, shorts, t-
shirt kinda guy Underachiever Favorite Pasttimes:
smokin’ Pot, Drinkin’ beer, surfin’ the web, Hangin’ with the Guys
Turn offs: responsibility, commitment, selling out, breaking a sweat
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The Female StriverThe Female Striver Usually the same age,
but appears older Ambitous Professional: Works
hard, often as a corporate exec or in TV/Public relations
Honest, Serious, and Beautiful
Her future: settle down, get married, maybe have children
Usually the same age, but appears older
Ambitous Professional: Works
hard, often as a corporate exec or in TV/Public relations
Honest, Serious, and Beautiful
Her future: settle down, get married, maybe have children
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The RelationshipThe Relationship
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“When she breaks up with him, he talks his situation over with his hopeless pals, who give him bits of misogynist advice. Suddenly, it’s the end of youth for him. It’s a crisis for her, too, and they can get back together only if both undertake some drastic alteration: he must act responsibility (get a job, take care of a kid), and she has to do something crazy (run across a baseball field during a game, tell a joke). He has to shape up, and she has to loosen up” (Denby, 2007).
Meet the Other Slacker-StriversMeet the Other Slacker-Strivers
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Knocked Up (2007)
Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) -
unemployed, aspires to launch
fleshofthestars.com
Alison Scot (Katherine Heigl) -
E! Television Network reporter
High Fidelity (2000)
Rob Gordon (John Cusack) - owns a
floundering used-record store
Laura (Iben Hjejle) - lawyer
The Break-Up (2006)
Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn) -
Chicago tourbus guide
Brooke Meyers (Jennifer
Aniston) - art dealer
Knocked Up (2007)
Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) -
unemployed, aspires to launch
fleshofthestars.com
Alison Scot (Katherine Heigl) -
E! Television Network reporter
High Fidelity (2000)
Rob Gordon (John Cusack) - owns a
floundering used-record store
Laura (Iben Hjejle) - lawyer
The Break-Up (2006)
Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn) -
Chicago tourbus guide
Brooke Meyers (Jennifer
Aniston) - art dealer
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Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun (Simon Pegg) -appliance salesman
Kate Ashfield (Liz) - ?
Dodgeball (2004)
Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaugn) - owner of failing gym
Kate Veatch (Christine Taylor) - accountant who is assessing the gym
Say Anything (1989)
Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) - underachiever/aspiring kickboxer (maybe)
Diane Court (Ione Skye) - class valedictorian, on her way to college
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun (Simon Pegg) -appliance salesman
Kate Ashfield (Liz) - ?
Dodgeball (2004)
Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaugn) - owner of failing gym
Kate Veatch (Christine Taylor) - accountant who is assessing the gym
Say Anything (1989)
Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) - underachiever/aspiring kickboxer (maybe)
Diane Court (Ione Skye) - class valedictorian, on her way to college
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And…And… Aurora Borealis (2005)
Duncan (Josh Jackson) - unemployedKate (Juliette Lewis) - Nurse
(And let’s not forget all those other slackers in movies like Wedding Crashers, Old School, 50 First Dates, Big Daddy, and pretty much any Kevin Smith film).
Aurora Borealis (2005)Duncan (Josh Jackson) - unemployedKate (Juliette Lewis) - Nurse
(And let’s not forget all those other slackers in movies like Wedding Crashers, Old School, 50 First Dates, Big Daddy, and pretty much any Kevin Smith film).
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Setting/WorldsSetting/Worlds
Contemporary Western-American/British Caucasion Middle-class
Contemporary Western-American/British Caucasion Middle-class
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Value AssumptionsValue Assumptions
juvenile male bonding is hilarious! Men are unable to commit Growing up means getting boring Women mature faster than men Woman want to settle down, get
married, have children
juvenile male bonding is hilarious! Men are unable to commit Growing up means getting boring Women mature faster than men Woman want to settle down, get
married, have children
Problematic Nature of the Genre
Problematic Nature of the Genre
There is little room for 3-D female characters
The relationships in these movies are inherently unequal
“Reduces the role of women to vehicles; their only real function is to make men grow up” (Denby).
There is little room for 3-D female characters
The relationships in these movies are inherently unequal
“Reduces the role of women to vehicles; their only real function is to make men grow up” (Denby).
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referencesreferencesA Fine Romance by David Denbythe New Yorker - July 23, 2007A Fine Romance by David Denbythe New Yorker - July 23, 2007
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