Why It's Okay For Guys to Like Chick Flicks

          Men and women are two very different types of people with stereotypically very different types of tastes. Men love the taste of steak, while women choose to partake in some chicken. Men want to watch football and women can’t wait for the next Oprah. Sure I may be generalizing here, but what this shows is a stark difference between the typical preferences of men and the typical preferences of women. So why should films be treated differently? There are movies targeted towards a male audience like Die Hard or Predator, and other action movies chockfull of violence, explosions, and the typical naked woman. Movies with a predominantly female audience include the Twilight saga, movies involving a strong-willed but romantically challenged female lead (read: Pretty Woman, Bridget Jones’ Diary, Titanic, etc.), and almost every single film Hugh Grant has starred in. These movies are colloquially called “chick flicks”, primarily because of the said flick is designed to attract said chicks. If a man watches a movie like this, he changes his entire reputation. A man card is revoked. His balls are figuratively removed. Insert your own witty, emasculating pun here. But as a guy who has a seemingly unnatural fondness of chick flicks, I’m here to advocate for this movement. The movement for men to watch romantic comedies without fear or shame. The movement for guys to recite romantic lines from movies like Notting Hill or When Harry Met Sally… without the imminent sound of laughter from his friends. The movement for the acceptance of the chick flick as a movie okay for both genders.

            The first note is that not all chick flicks are the same. Certain chick flicks, such as The Ugly Truth, Killers, 27 Dresses, and Life as We Know It, are unfortunate in that they subject to horrendous dialogue, poor acting, and an even poorer story line. There are others that follow all of the clichés of all of the other chick flicks. These clichés are like how the guy and the girl always have to have some sort of major misunderstanding or conflict before they actually end up together, quirky girl friends and vulgar guy friends, and of course the lonely montage where a character realizes how lonely they feel without their significant other. But some movies choose to embrace these clichés. One of the best examples of this is Love Actually, which uses almost every single cliché known to man. But instead of treating them as necessary for any movie, they embraced the good in each cliché. The most powerful instance of this was Sam (whose only 10 years old) running through the airport (only two years after 9/11) in order to convince the love of his life (whose also only 10 years old) to love him back. The cliché is overused, but it worked. It wasn’t sickeningly saccharine, but perfectly sweet. Other chick flicks find a way around these clichés through their own originality. Currently, the most original chick flick would be 500 Days of Summer. Yes there were certain clichés that were used in this movie, but the creativity of the film and the audacity (the movie told us that Tom wouldn’t end up with Summer!) of the movie helped hide the effects of the cliché.

            The second note is that chick flicks are reliant on chemistry, which many actors have. One of the first films that comes to mind is When Harry Met Sally…. The chemistry between Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal may have been some of the best in movie history. Their lines were perfectly orchestrated. It seemed like we were actually watching a relationship blossom out of nowhere. Sometimes it actually happens, like in the movie Once. The movie displayed two aspiring musicians, a Guy and a Girl, who never knew each other before hand. They were simply falling slowly into a relationship both on and off screen. 

            The third note is that chick flicks can be extremely romantic. Take, for instance, The Princess Bride. This is a very romantic movie about two soul mates, whose love could not even be broken by death. Or The Notebook. This movie is about two soul mates, one of whom is slowly losing her memory. The other tells her of their story for even that one moment of lucidity when she realizes that the two romantic lovers are actually themselves. Many of these romantic movies/chick flicks can lead to these very strong emotions and feelings.

            So why is it okay for guys to like chick flicks? Well, for one, chicks dig guys who are willing to show their sensitive side. But the primary reason is that chick flicks are sometimes very good movies. Yes, these movies are very romantic and kinda squishy. They may seem overly emotional for the typical guy. But some of these chick flicks are good movies. Now I’m not saying you should watch all chick flicks. There are plenty of chick flicks that are just straight-up horrible (primarily those movies with Jennifer Aniston, Katherine Heigl, etc.). But some of these romantic movies are very well made. They bend the typical rules of the expected chick flick, they portray love in the best possible way, and they bring about intense emotions. Now doesn’t that make any given chick flick like this very good? Guys can like chick flicks because they can be great movies. You don’t love it because it’s a chick flick. You love it because it is a work of creativity and beauty.