Every time I see an ad for Hall Pass, the raunchy Jason Sudeikis/Owen Wilson "let's take a break from our wives" comedy out today, I get angry. I like Sudekis and Wilson just fine, but the premise is soooo sexist and hack.
First of all, no wife in human existence would give their husband a week off to cheat. That's not a thing, movie. "Come on, geek. It's a dumb romantic comedy," you say. "Don't read too much into it." Yes, but I need my dumb romantic comedies to have at least some semblance of reality. I don't buy this premise just like I don't buy Adam Sandler pretending to have kids in order to impress a supermodel. (No, I won't "just go with it.") The whole concept is so one-sided. Do the wives get a week off too? Why isn't it the other way around? This is yet another in a seemingly endless parade of "men are clueless babies/women are nags" comedies. And you know that Wilson and Sudeikis won't actually cheat on their wives. They'll get into antics involving drunken sorority girls and one-legged prostitutes for an hour-and-a-half or so but, in the end, they'll realize that they actually love their wives. Instead of finding fresh takes on infidelity and how to keep a marriage exciting, movies like Hall Pass try to have it both ways by being a racy, dude-bro wish fulfillment comedy for the guys and a heartwarming love story for their significant others. (For a much sharper and more believable take on the concept of couples taking a break, check out the indie comedy The Freebie.)
Also, the title makes zero sense. Do the creators of Hall Pass even know what a hall pass is? A hall pass entitles you to leave class for a few minutes to go to the restroom. It doesn't allow you to ditch school for a week with zero consequences. Wouldn't a more accurate title be "Get Out of Jail Free Card"? Therefore, I present some alternate titles that better describe this cinematic train-wreck. Feel free to leave your other titles, or thoughts on the movie, in the comments.
Dudes Be Hornin'
Being Married To Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate Is Such A Drag!
There's Something About Being A 40-Year-Old Virgin In a Hot Tub Time Machine
Booty Call Coupon
Hey, It's Better Than Marmaduke
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First of all, no wife in human existence would give their husband a week off to cheat. That's not a thing, movie. "Come on, geek. It's a dumb romantic comedy," you say. "Don't read too much into it." Yes, but I need my dumb romantic comedies to have at least some semblance of reality. I don't buy this premise just like I don't buy Adam Sandler pretending to have kids in order to impress a supermodel. (No, I won't "just go with it.") The whole concept is so one-sided. Do the wives get a week off too? Why isn't it the other way around? This is yet another in a seemingly endless parade of "men are clueless babies/women are nags" comedies. And you know that Wilson and Sudeikis won't actually cheat on their wives. They'll get into antics involving drunken sorority girls and one-legged prostitutes for an hour-and-a-half or so but, in the end, they'll realize that they actually love their wives. Instead of finding fresh takes on infidelity and how to keep a marriage exciting, movies like Hall Pass try to have it both ways by being a racy, dude-bro wish fulfillment comedy for the guys and a heartwarming love story for their significant others. (For a much sharper and more believable take on the concept of couples taking a break, check out the indie comedy The Freebie.)
Also, the title makes zero sense. Do the creators of Hall Pass even know what a hall pass is? A hall pass entitles you to leave class for a few minutes to go to the restroom. It doesn't allow you to ditch school for a week with zero consequences. Wouldn't a more accurate title be "Get Out of Jail Free Card"? Therefore, I present some alternate titles that better describe this cinematic train-wreck. Feel free to leave your other titles, or thoughts on the movie, in the comments.
Dudes Be Hornin'
Being Married To Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate Is Such A Drag!
There's Something About Being A 40-Year-Old Virgin In a Hot Tub Time Machine
Booty Call Coupon
Hey, It's Better Than Marmaduke
Excited for the Oscars? Don't forget to join our Oscar live chat this Sunday at 7PM EST!
It's sad how American movie culture has become when it comes to marriage and relationships.
Better writers for movies, please!!!
And thanks Nadel for bringing this subject up. Why is it never the other way around? That has been a question for me too.
I hate that wherever I look I see the idea that marriage is a drag and that when a man gets married, it's like he's giving up his freedom.
Is that how men really feel about marriage? Or is that just how the media portrays it?
this is such a good question..
umm its not a question. Its a blog post sweetie
"Is that how men really feel about marriage?"... yea i am pretty sure it's a question.
And a good one at that :)
There's Something About Being A 40-Year-Old Virgin In a Hot Tub Time Machine
EPIC
THE PITCH:
Two dudes both have a black person in their lives. It's a total pain in the ass, having to be nice to them and treat them with respect. Their black friends decide to give them a break from having to treat them like people. "Go find other black people that you can lynch at your discretion", they say. "When you're done, we can be friends again."
So, the guys go out and enjoy the wild shenanigans that come from not pretending that those with a different skin colour are people. It's super fun and all, and the audience can totally relate (because, I mean, who HASN"T rolled their eyes at the whole "black people are equal" thing, am I right?). But in the end, without having properly lynched any black people (despite the fact that they were tooooottally asking for it), they go back to their black friends with a newfound appreciation."
THE ANSWER:
"I'm afraid that there's no way we could green-light such a racist, horrendous, evil screenplay like that. What are you, Nazis? Are you in the KKK? This is just propaganda designed to enforce hatred, negative stereotypes, and the status of one demographic as being superior to the other. The fact that your white characters suffer no long-term consequences for their heinous actions and are even portrayed as almost heroic for "resigning" themselves to a life of treating those who are different as equal... it boggles the mind! This is the most vile load of crap I've ever heard!"
THE COUNTER-OFFER:
"Okay, okay, I hear you. So, what if we changed "skin colour" to "body shape", and "black people" to "women"?"
THE RESULT:
"When can you start shooting?"
Problem comes when the ending...
Wait for it...
*SPOILERS*
Results in the husbands, who were given the Hall Pass, refusing to "cheat" or have sex with anyone besides their wives because they felt guilty and ended up too loyal.
While the wives, who were NOT given a Hall Pass and specifically point out to their husbands that the pass is solely for them, end up cheating on their husbands.