Think of movies that have at least two named women characters who have at least one conversation together that is not about a man. Coming up with examples that have these characteristics should be relatively simple, due to the basic nature of the criteria. Yet there are approximately 45% of movies that fail this minor test. Indeed, these criteria are part of the Bechdel Test, which is used to assess gender gaps in film and evaluate the stories that are told, how they are told, and what roles women occupy in them. Popularized by cartoonist Alison Bechdel in a 1985 strip called Dykes to Watch Out For and inspired by Virginia Woolf, the test measures the representation of women in film, television, books, video games, and other forms of attention-getting storytelling. In order to pass, it is necessary to meet all three of the aforementioned criteria. However, it is important to note that passing the Bechdel test is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of women’s representation; it simply indicates the active presence of women in media as a whole, which serves as a quantifiable metric of gender equality in representation.
It is surprising to think that iconic films like Taxi Driver, the entire The Lord of the Rings saga, and even romantic films like When Harry Met Sally, La La Land or A Star is Born and many more fail the Bechdel Test. Although women are successfully conquering more and more spaces nowadays, there is still a need for greater and better representation. Therefore, in this article, let’s have a look at seven films that pass the Bechdel Test and challenge people to rethink the role of women in movies.
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7 Booksmart
The directorial debut of Olivia Wilde bucked many stereotypes about teenaged friendships between girls in order to provide the audience with an incredible and authentic story about two girls who realized they still had a lot to live up to. Booksmart stars Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein as Amy and Molly, two top students and friends who believed that their dedication to school would grant them their dream of attending a prestigious college. However, at the end of the school year they discover that the irresponsible, party-hard kids also got into amazing colleges. This came as a shock to Molly, who realizes that she had wasted a lot of time by not partying or having fun. So, the day before graduation, she and Amy decide to attend the biggest party ever, and the two friends are forced to overcome situations that no book had ever prepared them for before.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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6 Hidden Figures
Via: Fox 2000 Pictures
Theodore Melfi directed this movie based on true events and starring Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson and singer Janelle Monáe in her film debut. Rounding out the cast are Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst and Jim Parsons. Hidden Figures is set in the United States and tells the untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, three brilliant Black women who face all the challenges and obstacles of contemporary stereotypes and systemic barriers to work at NASA. Known as the human computers, they help launch astronaut John Glenn into orbit and make history.
Hidden Figures is based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly and earned rave reviews upon its release, not only for the performance of the main characters, but also for its plot that speaks about the importance of social diversity in all fields and the bravery of these women, especially in a male-dominated industry.
5 Frozen
Arandelle is condemned by a prophecy to live in an eternal winter. There lives Princess Anna (Kristen Bell), a brave young woman who decides to embark on a journey to free the kingdom and simultaneously find her sister Elsa (Idina Menzel), the Queen of Arandelle, who fled the kingdom. She is closely related to ice magic, which has tormented her throughout her life, but she must learn to control it in order to put an end to the curse and save her people. The sisters’ journey is filled with magic, elves, new friends and challenges they must overcome to return home.
This Disney animated film was a box office hit, with stunning visuals, empathetic and well-defined characters, and a catchy soundtrack. In fact, the iconic song “Let It Go” was for a long time Disney’s most streamed song, until Encanto was released, and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” surpassed it on the charts. Frozen’s success is also due to its powerful storyline of sisterhood, and a tale of courageous women who care about each other, which overshadows all kinds of romantic and traditional storylines.
4 Spirited Away
This Japanese anime film was released in 2001 and follows the story of Chihiro, a ten-year-old girl who is moving with her parents to a new home. Along the way, the family comes across a building in the center of which opens a long tunnel that leads to a ghost town. There, they find an abandoned restaurant with a variety of delicious dishes and decide to stay for lunch, but as they eat, Chihiro’s parents turn into pigs. Gripped by fear, Chihiro runs away and is unsure about what to do next. Fortunately, she finds an ally in Haku, who explains everything about the universe she has fallen into and what she must do in order to save her parents. This is how Chihiro embarks on a journey during which she learns values such as responsibility, effort and respect.
Spirited Away is the highest grossing film in the history of Japanese cinema. This Hayao Miyazaki production has won more than fourteen awards, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Film.
3 Thelma & Louise
Thelma & Louise introduced the 1990s film industry to the idea of casting women to play the leading roles that Hollywood gave to men: the action-packed, rule-breaking ones, so Ridley Scott’s film was a breakthrough in terms of female representation. Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon play Thelma and Louise, two women who become best friends. Thelma lives a boring life and is unhappily married to Darryl, and Louise, on the other hand, is a full-time waitress who lives dreaming about her boyfriend proposing to her. One weekend, they decide to take a trip together in Louise’s car to rest from all their frustrations. However, as much fun as their getaway promised to be, it turns into an experience full of tragic episodes, and after murdering a guy who tries to rape Thelma, these friends are forced to make decisions that will completely change their destiny.
2 The Joy Luck Club
The Joy Luck Club was created by four women in China with the aim of betting on life and hope. Years later, the club continues in San Francisco, and thanks to its meetings, the story of the four women and their families is presented: their current situation far from China in a country where integration is difficult and where communication with younger generations is not always possible and their memories of a different past and a future that was not the one they imagined. At the same time, the plot delves into their relationships with their Americanized daughters. This film is an adaptation of Amy Tan’s novel of the same name and was directed by Wayne Wang. The movie was nominated at the BAFTA Awards in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. It stars Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin and France Nuyen.
1 The Half of It
The Half of It is a Netflix-produced film written and directed by Alice Wu. The movie, starring Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire and Collin Chou, follows the story of Ellie Chu, a young girl with a difficult life that lives with her father in the town of Squahamish and works for her fellow school classmates in exchange for money in order to pay the bills at home. One day, Paul Munsky asks her to write a love letter to Aster Flores, one of the most popular girls in school, and although Ellie Chu refuses to write it at first, she eventually agrees. Aster, besides being beautiful, smart and popular, has also become Ellie’s secret love, and when the plan starts to work out, Paul and Ellie discover that their bond of friendship is so strong that neither of them wants to make the other suffer in this teenage love triangle.
