Post feminism is a huge topic discussed by people, and even post feminists themselves argue that not only are women equal to men, but that they are also even better. For example anything a male person can do, a female can do better.
My analysis here involves a comparison of 2 films which I believe are both post feminist films, with the main actress being a female, and also playing the part of a hero. The two films I have chosen to compare are, 2005 FlightPlan, by Robert Schwentlke, and 2003 Italian Job by F.Gary Gray.
In both films the ladies, two main characters appear to be saving something, whether it’s a human being or a plan, but in the end they manage to do what they intend, and therefore they are both illustrated as heroes. Jodie Foster plays the heroic mother in FlightPlan, as she rescues her own daughter after her husband has died and someone tries to kidnap her in order for an exchange of money. This film is very post feminist, as Jodie Foster acts alone throughout the whole film, having to save her own daughter without nobody’s help. In the Italian job, Charlize Theron is also a hero after succeeding into working and finishing off a professional plan, made by her, her friends and her father who has died. So in the Italian Job, Charlize Theron plays the role of a heroic daughter, having done exactly what her father would have wanted to if he was still alive. A little difference between the two female main characters in FlightPlan and The Italian Job, is that Jodie Foster acts alone throughout the whole process, and officially in the end she succeeds and gets what she wants. Whereas in the Italian Job, Charlize Theron is still a hero, due to what she does, and what she achieves, but she does not act alone in the act. Charlize Theron has other men around her who are on her side in order to help her, and most importantly to help each other with getting the gold. Significantly, this could connote that FlightPlan is more of a post feminist film than the Italian Job due to the task and role of the main characters.
In order to get what they want, both ladies put up a very strong fight, and have both a very unique ability into achieving success. Specifically, both females precede different tasks in order to get what they want, but eventually in the end they both accomplish what they want. In the Italian Job, Charlize Theron’s major act was the opening of the vaults, which no man around her could do, but she individually manages to do it. Opening the vault was the main process throughout the whole film, and Charlize Theron who appears to be the only female taking a major part in the film is the only person to do it. And this clearly shows a huge side to the portraying of a post feminist film.
On the other hand, Jodie Foster in FlighPlan also precedes an important act of ejecting the oxygen masks in the plane, in order to cause some kind of distraction so she can get find and rescue her daughter. In the film, Jodie is being represented as a very annoying, unconvinced lady who does simply not give up into believing that her daughter is in the plane. Although there is a positive representation of Jodie Foster from the audience, as she is a hero, there is also a very negative representation of her within the film. The characters within the film see Jodie Foster as an irritating lady who has simply lost her mind, but this representation gradually changes as we come to the end of the film.
Similarities in this film involve these two females going against some kind of rules and crossing boundaries in order to get what they want. Jodie Foster going against Sean Bean's orders, and Charlize Theron going agains the law. Clearly throughout this, us as the audience understand that without these ladies having to break some kind of rules, it would be almost impossible to get what they want. But it is only the inside audience of the film who contradict our minds, as they are all against the people who are trying to break the rules, like certain people on the play thinking that Jodie Foster is crazy and giving us a negative characterization of her.
Differences in the film include Jodie Foster working AGAINST the boys, whereas Charlize Theron is work WITH the boys in order to get what they want. So in a way, Jodie Foster fights individually, and Charlize Theron takes the advantage of male’s help. This clearly contrasts the differences in the film showing which may be more post feminist than the other.
Overall, I think there are a lot more similarities in the film than differences as I have mainly chosen these 2 films because of their similarities. Such as the fact that both the protagonists are blonde, which may be disscused and could be contradicted to be the false and negative representation of blonde women being known as not so clever.
