The Heat - Ideologies of Gender Roles in Action Movies - Movie Review Example

In the past, there were many movies trying to entertain the public with characters having high level of masculinity to play the role of a police or someone depicted in the society as the ideal person to perform the task, a man. By that time, there were few or no movies at all trying to suggest that women can do the same role too, and as effective as or even more than men. However, at the modern society, the ideology concerning women are equal with men continuous to grow forward to maturity, as revealed in a more sophisticated manner, because this relevant issue can now be made clear in films like “The Heat”. The movie "The Heat" staring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy both deconstructs and perpetuates ideologies of gender roles in action movies predominately played by male actors using radical and liberal feminist characters to break the "male buddy cop" system. Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy had to play the role of cops and face the uphill challenges in male-dominated workplaces. Policing has been one of the old functions in the society by which male has to be the primary character in dealing with issues concerning peace and order. However, the movie “The Heat” was trying to defy the conventional way of looking at what policing is all about. In fact, the movie is a depiction of an issue trying to convey the message of equal employment laws and policies. By using the characters of Bullock and McCarthy in the movie playing the role of police officers, there is a silent message that women are capable too of doing what men can do, specifically in the area of policing. The movie is trying to convey the ideology of equal opportunity for men and women when it comes to areas where the traditional view would agree that being male-dominated is the normal perspective that the society should consider. In fact, the movie “The Heat” is trying to depict this view when there are series of challenges that the main characters should have to face in the male-dominated workplace. In reality, the police department is a male-dominated workplace, and having their ways in there, the characters of Bullock and McCarthy in the movie should be a substantial change or divergence in the way how the society in the past considered the capability of women compared to men when employed in this environment. In fact, there is a prevailing thought within the criminal justice system that women police are different, which eventually continuously created the conflict within the police organization and even led women to lower ranks in this area, but the acceptance of what a social service is all about has been made possible by the tolerance of the doctrine that women are different but more humanistic than men (Garcia, 2003). This sounds like what makes a woman suitable to perform or initiate the function of what a genuine social service must eventually look like, which surely allows or permits the movie “The Heat” to illustrate how women can play the role of men in policing, a substantial profession that was originally viewed by the society as a role that requires high level of masculinity. To support this claim, the busyness of Bullock’s and McCarthy’s character in the film without any unnecessary complaints about their job was a specific point that tries to convey the message of women having equally the heart of men in the field of policing. This was an intriguing point or concept suggesting that it would be possible for women to enter into the men’s world, especially in aspects specific controversies involving gender roles. After all, this develops the potential ideology that the actual physical strength may be important in policing, but what matters most is how an individual assigned to this task must perform the obligation or associated function. The problem however, lies on the fact that in reality, women when involved in policing have received a lower rank or value in performance compared to men. A research study reveals that women’s leadership positions, especially when carried out in stereotypical styles like autocratic or directive, were devalued as compared to their male counterparts’, but this was even made worst when there was full saturation or occupation of male-dominated roles and when the evaluators are men (Eagly, Makhijani & Klonsky, 1992). In other words, this research study reveals the prevailing challenge that women are facing in the area of policing where the dominant males define for themselves the standard of performance in this field. By looking at this at the other side, women with strong affinity for entering into a role that is associated with policing might feel discouraged about the opportunity for advancing their career. In fact, it was found that police women officers have limited access to higher ranks and specialist roles (Brown, 1998). There are many reasons that men in the justice department would want to justify. Among them include the women’s actual gender or identity as women. In reality, police female officers may significantly lack the flexibility for breaks or promotional opportunities in their career due to issues like having children (Martin, 1996). The police department is therefore a place not fit for women if it has to be taken from the point of view of the dominant male or the prevailing cultural standard in this field. In fact, from the past, the police department that does not want women is a relevant source of stress among women police officers (Wexler & Logan, 1983). In other words, there was a significant root to the actual issue as to how women would want to be identified with a special place in the police department today. The movie “The Heat” therefore could be a specific message that tries to counter attack the prevailing gender discrimination in the field of policing. This silent message was made clear in the employment of Bullock and McCarthy, both women, but with strong enthusiasm and passion to play the role of men in policing. The movie literally does not reflect how in reality women were treated in the police department, if it has to be based on the stated information accumulated from the past and prevailing research studies from the sociological context. This specifically is a significant indicator that there is a strong point of view of trying to establish the idea that women are capable too of performing the vital functions of men specifically in policing. This leads to the other point that the employment of women to play the role of “male buddy cop” in the movie “The Heat” is a specific suggestion of women’s capability in the field of ensuring themselves as diplomats of peace and order in the society aside from men. However, it could also be a clear depiction of a specific voice of uprising against the prevailing culture within the bound of policing, specifically in the police department and the entire executive justice system. The employment of Bullock’s and McCarthy’s characters as cops could signify the women’s point of view or the feminist point of view of trying to inculcate a certain thought to the society of the ability of women to be equal with men. It tries to contradict the common notion of “buddy cop” in the society and in its prevailing culture and view of feminism and masculinity. The movie depicted the challenges of women that they have to substantially face in playing the role of a cop. In fact, there are many scenes showcasing women’s dexterity in policing compared to men, but eventually Bullock’s and McCarthy’s characters made it through. This connects to the message that whatever men are capable of doing, women also have the potential to emulate things. This is a specific argument that the movie would want to expound directly to its audience. Bullock’s and McCarthy’s characters are so strong, but the seriousness of their roles were eliminated, because of the comedic touch of the entire movie. However, this does not totally eliminate the fact that the main consideration of their characters is to impart the message that the society should truly consider women as equal counterparts of men, especially in the field where there is a higher requirement for masculinity figure. Therefore, with all these considered points, the work at hand has successfully explicated the idea that the movie “The Heat” deconstructs and perpetuates ideologies of gender roles in action movies that in the past were dominated by male actors, but at present liberal feminists’ characters to break the “male buddy cop” system are implemented. The female protagonist characters in the movie are found to be forms of contradictions to the prevailing cultural consideration in policing and the associated thought about male domination in this field. For this reason, the work at hand further promotes the point that movies can be the best media in order to impart a considerable stand about the prevailing ideologies on the consideration of gender in the daily walk of life, which is primarily based on the existing approved social considerations of the majority that has the chance to dominate over the other minority groups. References Brown, J. M. (1998). Aspects of discriminatory treatment of women police officers serving in forces in England and Wales. British Journal Criminology, 38(2), 265-282. Eagly, A. H., Makhijani, M. G., & Klonsky, B. G. (1992). Gender and the evaluation of leaders: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 111(1), 3-22. Garcia, V. (2003). “Difference” in the Police Department Women, Policing, and “Doing Gender”. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 19(3), 330-334. Martin, C. (1996). The impact of equal opportunities policies on the day-to-day experiences of women police constables. British Journal Criminology, 36(4), 510-528. Wexler, J. G., & Logan, D. D. (1983). Sources of Stress Among Women Police. Journal of Police Science and Administration, 11(1), 46-53. Read More