How represention is constructed in ( Jess) in Bend It Like Beckham and (Jodies Fosters) flight planPost feminism –Post- feminism has developed from the initial feminist movement in the late 19th and early 20th century. Since then from the equal opportunities legislation has led to role reversals within the media. Things such as Mulvey s “male gaze” showing women being primarily for the male audience as “eye candy” has been reversed as men are increasingly being shown for women’s pleasures. Both the films I have chosen can be called post- feminist , however it can be argued that they have not quite made it as there are elements of patriarchy.
Flight plan is seen as a post feminist film as it is portrayed through the protagonist Jodie Foster. She is represented being a strong dominant woman, able to stand without her husband. This particular role reversal is shown through her costume as she wears conventionally male clothes such as shirts, round neck jumpers and in trousers. The props as well such as her briefcase connotes her being a business minded person that is not stereotypically a woman’s trait. Her occupation is an engineer for planes. This is usually a male dominated profession.
Due to the historical matter that until the Equal pay act in the 70s this has changed making it easier for women to earn as much as men. Her mother role shows the social increase of single mothers, reinforcing the feminist view that women are capable of being on their own. However this also shows her nurturing / emotional side that is stereotypically a woman’s thing.
Her other qualities such as her being the hero of the film as she finds her daughter, emphasises the “new woman” and to contrast with the male roles e.g. security man she is seen to be more physically and mentally strong. Another part within the film that there are role reversals is that alongside the man, a woman is a villain that challenges the norms of conventional films.
Similarly, Bend it like Beckham shows elements of post- feminism as the protagonist ( Jess) challenges not only gender stereotypes but cultural ones as well. Jess being an Asian girl has the obsession with football, wanting to become one as her career despite her parents’ wishes for her to become a doctor. Socially football is a male dominated profession as the media fails to show woman’s football on T.V. The role reversal within the text comes from the women’s football being shown throughout the film instead of typically men’s. Through the process of jess becoming a footballer , women are represented being far more talented and driven when it comes to football. This is evident when Jess and Jules join in with boys playing football but win the game against them. Therefore women are shown to be more powerful in that sense compared to men.
However their football coach “Joe” is the one in control over what they do, that consequently gives a sense of patriarchy within the film. At the end of the film it shows Beckham briefly in the airport. Because the girls look up to him it connotes the idea that they have not achieved the status of Beckham, showing males dominance and control over the industry. Economically woman footballers are paid considerably less than men. The BBC have reported that England women's footballers have criticised the Football Association after getting just £40 a day for the five weeks at the World Cup in China compared to the men’s football club ( Chelsea) earning a reportedly 1.784 million each.
