I have seen the future of the chick flick...

Little bit of cognitive dissonance in NYT-man's Michael Cieply's rumination this morning on broadening the appeal of the chick flick. And no, I'm not gonna get into the various fallacies on which the phrase "chick flick" is built, as my time and interest is limited. After chronicling the travails of two of the genres warhorses—Ephron and Hogan—and tucking in an inane observation from Jerry Bruckheimer, Cieply notes that The Devil Wear Prada, a film merely two years old, "spawned the genre's biggest movie hit." Indeed it did.
And then goes on to add a "but" about the underperforming Nanny Diaries. That's not the dissonant part, although it will come in to play later. No, the dissonant part is where Cieply quotes, without comment, a "talent manager" who asserts "The next generation hasn't announced itself, really."

Only it has. With, among other movies, one called The Devil Wears Prada.

Now you know me—I'm not one to make extravagant claims for such a picture. But of its type, it was relatively fresh and funny, as they say. And it skewed young. It was not about the travails of a thirty-something career woman looking for love in the big bad city. It was about the travails of a early-twenty-something looking for success and meaning in the big city. The picture's dyed-in-the-wool career woman was a subordinate (albeit very meaty) role. Men who were compelled by their female steadies to see the film were treated to the not-insignifican het eye candy of Ann Hathaway in a lot of silly outfits. And, I'll say it again, it SKEWED YOUNG. The next generation has announced itself, only Hollywood might not be listening. Nora Ephron's Julia and Julia, toggling between the lives of Julia Child and a rut-stuck woman who decides to cook all the recipes in a classic book of the French chef's, has a good, Prada-esque casting concept, with La Streep in the role of the venerated gourmet and Amy Adams as her emulator. That could work out. Were I to give advice on how to "save" the chick flick, the first thing I'd tell anyone soliciting such advice is to consider both Juno and Enchanted as chick flicks. Younger actresses and new thinking—that's what's gonna keep the genre afloat.

Comments

[Dan]

I don't know why it should be this way, but every time I see a picture of Anne Hathaway, I feel warm and lightheaded. I'm going to try and convince my wife that Get Smart is a "chick flick" so that I can stare at her for a couple of hours and not feel guilty. I've been trying to sell my wife on Havoc being a chick flick, but she's not buying it. And is it wrong for me to think of Annie Hall as the first chick flick?

[bill]

You know what else would keep the genre afloat? Casting Amy Adams in all such movies. And giving them R ratings. And...but no. This isn't the place for that.

[Ryan]

I recently saw Baby Mama, which is exactly about "the travails of a thirty-something career woman looking for love in the big bad city" and it was just horrible and the opposite of the kind of freshness you'd expect from Tina Fey, so I tend to agree with you on this.

[Dan]

I think what might save the chick flick is a nice dose of realism and an attempt to actually be amusing. It pains me that the romantic comedy has gone from a genre both genders could attend with pleasure to pity parties for emotionally immature women.

[clockworkgoddess]

Come now, other than Glenn, are any of the above posters really qualified to comment on what makes a great chick flick?
I'd have to assert that Charlie's Angels beat out DWP for the first financially successful chick flick...big-name actresses, empowering message (without forgetting the humour), and plenty of ass-kicking in unrealistically fashionable (aka 'silly') outfits.
Also, most of the women I know wish there was a special feature to skip the lame love story in DWP and cut to Emily Blunt and Meryl being bitchy....
And no, though I dearly love Annie Hall, it was too male-sympathetic to be called a chick flick, in my opinion.

[Caissa]

It took me a minute to realize that none of this was meant ironically. Yes, indeed, put those aging thirtyish actresses and the career woment they play out to pasture so the men can check out some fresh meat. As if Hollywood requires any encouragement to do this.

I don't think 'Charlie's Angels' can qualify as a chick flick under any label. It was designed to appeal to men first and women second.