While I will be the first to admit to the strangeness of the inquiry, particularly from a guy, I can only say that I ask the question only after my personal research failed to produce a definitive answer. The question is, simply enough, what are the shared qualities of a "chick movie?" Are there certain characteristics or common threads that distinguish movies that appeal, almost completely, to the feminine viewer?
I know there must be, before I ask, because there are some movies that are only viewed by men when required by their significant other. [There are, it goes without saying, certain benefits that, the man hopes, might befall the man after paying these sorts of "dues." However, these are not the subject of this discussion.] I speak of movies that men never talk about (or even admit to actually seeing) with other men but, after their initial viewing, are the topic of female discourse for weeks afterwards. I ask about movies that women take other women to see as a group experience. Movies that women often view multiple times and keep count.
I have spent the past week or so investigating the question from a guy's point of view. It seems there are common themes that make a movie a "chick flick." My viewing consisted of several movies that I, from past experience, have come to think of as "chick flicks." The specimens, certainly not inclusive, I chose to specifically name include:
Steel Magnolias (1989)
Ghost (1990)
Pretty Woman (1990)
Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
The Notebook (2004)
First, we have to propose some basic rule about what constitutes a "chick movie, hereafter to be denoted as "CM." The assumption I offer are as follows:
Rule 1: There is no such thing as a sci-fi or horror CM. While fantasy can certainly be used in the storyline (see Ella Enchanted and Princess Bride (I and II), movies that are dominated by technology and, certainly, gore cannot be, by my definition, a CM.
Rule 2: A CM cannot earn the label if the female goes to the movie to see her favorite male star, regardless of the content of the movie. Undoubtedly, female fans of Brad Pitt sat through the interminal "Troy" because he was all muscled-up and showed lots of skin but "Troy" is not, for our purposes, a CM.
Rule 3: While ladies truly love a good romantic comedy, a true CM cannot be a full-on comedy. Take for example "How to Lose a Guy in 28 Days." It fits many of the criteria of a CM (no guy would see it with a group of guys - unless they have a full-throttle Kate Hudson thing going, and no guy would certainly ever discuss the movie with other guys or admit to having seen it). The same may be said for Legally Blonde I and II. I do not, for my purposes, include these in my sample.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Aaman
Nice - worthy of expansion into a much longer piece.
2 - Mark Saleski
1. no car chases
2. nothing blows up
3. dialog. lot's of dialog.
personally, i luv chic movies.
3 - Eric Olsen
relationships, feelings, can you picture it on Lifetime?
4 - Eric Olsen
oh, and most movies feature relationships and feelings, but if the expression and evocation of those things makes me say "ick," it's a chick flick
5 - Victor Plenty
If the relationships and feelings are on display only just barely long enough to let you know who to root for when the gunfights, car chases, and explosions break out, it's still a guy movie.
(If you can't tell which ones are the good guys; or, if you can, but the good guys all die anyway, the movie is probably from Hong Kong or Europe.)
6 - Brent McKee
There may be female nudity. The man's secret rule to Chick Flicks is that they have better nudity than Guy Movies and it's true. If you're a guy, would you rather see Bruce Willis's butt (in a Guy Movie) or Jennifer Jason Leigh's (in a Chick Flick)?
7 - Eric Olsen
good point Brent, though I'm not sure I would pick JJL -- talented though she may be -- by way of illustration
8 - DrPat
I've got yer chick flick here: Beaches.
Barbara Hershey dying elegantly, Bette Midler in a Madonna-pointy bra, two ladies with nothing in common but a childhood meeting on a beach in Atlantic City, Bette Midler in a bathrobe, brief appearances of men - rightfully ignored by the women - Lanie Kazan and Mayim Bialik; and Bette Midler in any scene...
What's not to love?
[can you tell I like Bette Midler?]
9 - Victor Plenty
Bette Midler needs to do some action movies if she wants to avoid being typecast.
10 - Tan The Man
Oh, I have to say that it's "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", not 28. That shows you how much I liked that movie...
There's a "Princess Bride 2" out? I think you might have that confused with the "Princess Diaries".
11 - Victor Plenty
Dietdoc surely put those in on purpose, Tan, just to see whether any guy would admit to knowing they were mistakes.
How to Lose a Guy in 28 Days sounds like it could have terrific parody potential, though.
12 - Tan The Man
You're right... and I fell for it. NOOOOO...
13 - Nancy
How odd that so far (until me) everyone commenting is male. Or that dietdoc would set such stringent rules. As a chick, I reserve the right to nominate some I consider chick flicks, whether you guys all agree or not:
Thelma & Louise
Sense & Sensibility
Pride & Prejudice
Lord of the Rings, I & III
First Wives' Club
Death Becomes Her
A Few Good Men
4 Weddings & A Funeral
Glory
Whalerider
ROTJ
Gone With The Wind
Lion In Winter
Indiana Jones 1 & 3
Crocodile Dundee 1 & 2
That's MY chickflick list. A few are no-brainers (to me, that is): spectacular drama & the bonus of great costumes (GWTW, LOTR, Glory), others are just witty (Lion, AFGM, FWC, S&S, P&P) but with good tension, and some are just a damn good cry - Glory is one of the most kleenex-saturating films I've ever seen; the minute Morgan Freeman shows up on screen, I start to snivel. His final line to the kid starts everyone I know (including strong men) snivelling if not howling. Some show women 'triumphing' over men (T&L, FWC), but most end w/a happy compromise (S&S, P&P) & the 'villains' getting their comeuppance.
Nudity is irrelevant, or I would have included films like Last of the Mohicans: the scenery was gorgeous; the trees weren't bad, either. It's a nice bonus, but it needn't be the draw of the movie.
Basically, I think my definition of a chickflick is a film that is well written, well acted, well directed, does not have a lot of gratuitous violence, but if violence is appropriate, at least lets not wallow in gore altho I don't need it glossed over, either, has some wit, humor, and goes out of the ordinary as far as expected action. In AFGM, Demi does NOT fall in love with or have an affair with Tom. I loved that touch. Ditto Jones pulling out the gun and just blowing away the guy w/the scimitar instead of some crazy, drawn out, improbable duel. Costumes are a bonus. Lush scenery (aside from the male figure) & great cinematography to capture it is not an option.
NOT my idea of chickflicks: overwhelming, mindless, gratuitous violence (Terminator1 & 2, altho watching Ahnuld was very nice), stupid or pointless plots, juvenile potty humor, bad writing, bad acting, no setting interest - movies taking place only endless warehouses are not generally interesting to me, nor, I think, most women; infatuation w/weapons, the bigger the better (see 'violence' above), cars (ditto), or explosions - altho they can also be fun, but a movie of nothing but gets VERY old very fast, for me. It goes w/out saying that I get very bored w/lots of T&A jiggling around. Sorry, wrong religion, altho seeing a gorgeous woman in lovely clothes or appropriately nude is nice. The key word to avoidance in chickflicks I think, is GRATUITOUS: if it supports or is intrinsic/appropriate to the movie & plot, fine; if not, it's dreck, get rid of it.
Hope that helps.
14 - Mark Saleski
nancy says: How odd that so far (until me) everyone commenting is male
isn't that because 'chick flick' is a sorta pejorative term lobbed at movie genres by guys?
15 - Nancy
Only if I let it be. ;)
16 - visualsimplicity
Nancy, hey, you're basically claiming any movie that is good is a chick flick. So all bad movies are guy flicks then?
17 - Nancy
I didn't say that... ...but if the uzi fits ....
18 - Victor Plenty
With all due respect, Nancy, some of the films you list don't fit the strict definition of a "chick flick" because they are movies guys can also enjoy without embarrassment.
By definition, a "chick flick" is one a guy either cannot stand to watch, or cannot admit to liking within earshot of other guys unless he's willing to put up with merciless ribbing from them.
Movies that can be equally enjoyed by women and men together are something else, not "chick flicks."
19 - Nancy
I'm a chick. Those are my flicks. Guys have no monopoly on good action films.
20 - Victor Plenty
Nobody claimed guys had a monopoly on action films.
21 - Nancy
Just by way of a side comment, there are some movies that fit your definition of chickflick that make ME (& my female friends) cringe, too. I think a bathetic (not pathetic, Bathetic) movie repels everyone regardless of gender.
22 - Tristan
by WHOOSE "definition Victor ~~???
Are YOU the established "Authority" now on Definitions as WELL as Conclusions ...???
Heh ......heh ........
(some people are sooooo serious they just haven't a clue that they are being played with .........) ...........
23 - Tan The Man
I agree with Crocodile Dundee 1 & 2 being chick flicks.
24 - Tristan
and in honor of fair coverage for all~~~~
what are the fav Dick Fliks ....??
(the opposing diametric of chik fliks, eh...)
25 - Nancy
Well, kinda the point I was trying to make.
BTW - where are all the other 'chicks'? Huccome no one else of the femme persuasion is blogging this? I am, after all, just one chick. I may be an anomaly.