The “Slacker-Striver”

Romantic comedy

The “Slacker-Striver”

Romantic comedy

The Male SlackerThe Male Slacker Late 20s to Early 30s A sweats, shorts, t-

shirt kinda guy Underachiever Favorite Pasttimes:

smokin’ Pot, Drinkin’ beer, surfin’ the web, Hangin’ with the Guys

Turn offs: responsibility, commitment, selling out, breaking a sweat

Late 20s to Early 30s A sweats, shorts, t-

shirt kinda guy Underachiever Favorite Pasttimes:

smokin’ Pot, Drinkin’ beer, surfin’ the web, Hangin’ with the Guys

Turn offs: responsibility, commitment, selling out, breaking a sweat

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The Female StriverThe Female Striver Usually the same age,

but appears older Ambitous Professional: Works

hard, often as a corporate exec or in TV/Public relations

Honest, Serious, and Beautiful

Her future: settle down, get married, maybe have children

Usually the same age, but appears older

Ambitous Professional: Works

hard, often as a corporate exec or in TV/Public relations

Honest, Serious, and Beautiful

Her future: settle down, get married, maybe have children

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The RelationshipThe Relationship

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“When she breaks up with him, he talks his situation over with his hopeless pals, who give him bits of misogynist advice. Suddenly, it’s the end of youth for him. It’s a crisis for her, too, and they can get back together only if both undertake some drastic alteration: he must act responsibility (get a job, take care of a kid), and she has to do something crazy (run across a baseball field during a game, tell a joke). He has to shape up, and she has to loosen up” (Denby, 2007).

Meet the Other Slacker-StriversMeet the Other Slacker-Strivers

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Knocked Up (2007)

Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) -

unemployed, aspires to launch

fleshofthestars.com

Alison Scot (Katherine Heigl) -

E! Television Network reporter

High Fidelity (2000)

Rob Gordon (John Cusack) - owns a

floundering used-record store

Laura (Iben Hjejle) - lawyer

The Break-Up (2006)

Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn) -

Chicago tourbus guide

Brooke Meyers (Jennifer

Aniston) - art dealer

Knocked Up (2007)

Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) -

unemployed, aspires to launch

fleshofthestars.com

Alison Scot (Katherine Heigl) -

E! Television Network reporter

High Fidelity (2000)

Rob Gordon (John Cusack) - owns a

floundering used-record store

Laura (Iben Hjejle) - lawyer

The Break-Up (2006)

Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn) -

Chicago tourbus guide

Brooke Meyers (Jennifer

Aniston) - art dealer

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Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun (Simon Pegg) -appliance salesman

Kate Ashfield (Liz) - ?

Dodgeball (2004)

Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaugn) - owner of failing gym

Kate Veatch (Christine Taylor) - accountant who is assessing the gym

Say Anything (1989)

Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) - underachiever/aspiring kickboxer (maybe)

Diane Court (Ione Skye) - class valedictorian, on her way to college

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun (Simon Pegg) -appliance salesman

Kate Ashfield (Liz) - ?

Dodgeball (2004)

Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaugn) - owner of failing gym

Kate Veatch (Christine Taylor) - accountant who is assessing the gym

Say Anything (1989)

Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) - underachiever/aspiring kickboxer (maybe)

Diane Court (Ione Skye) - class valedictorian, on her way to college

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And…And… Aurora Borealis (2005)

Duncan (Josh Jackson) - unemployedKate (Juliette Lewis) - Nurse

(And let’s not forget all those other slackers in movies like Wedding Crashers, Old School, 50 First Dates, Big Daddy, and pretty much any Kevin Smith film).

Aurora Borealis (2005)Duncan (Josh Jackson) - unemployedKate (Juliette Lewis) - Nurse

(And let’s not forget all those other slackers in movies like Wedding Crashers, Old School, 50 First Dates, Big Daddy, and pretty much any Kevin Smith film).

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Setting/WorldsSetting/Worlds

Contemporary Western-American/British Caucasion Middle-class

Contemporary Western-American/British Caucasion Middle-class

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Value AssumptionsValue Assumptions

juvenile male bonding is hilarious! Men are unable to commit Growing up means getting boring Women mature faster than men Woman want to settle down, get

married, have children

juvenile male bonding is hilarious! Men are unable to commit Growing up means getting boring Women mature faster than men Woman want to settle down, get

married, have children

Problematic Nature of the Genre

Problematic Nature of the Genre

There is little room for 3-D female characters

The relationships in these movies are inherently unequal

“Reduces the role of women to vehicles; their only real function is to make men grow up” (Denby).

There is little room for 3-D female characters

The relationships in these movies are inherently unequal

“Reduces the role of women to vehicles; their only real function is to make men grow up” (Denby).

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referencesreferencesA Fine Romance by David Denbythe New Yorker - July 23, 2007A Fine Romance by David Denbythe New Yorker - July 23, 2007