MovieChat Forums > The Break-Up (2006) Discussion > The most male bashing movie ever made!!!

The most male bashing movie ever made!!!

posted 16 years ago by mcbain20
34 replies | jump to latest

Reasons to support...

OCCUPATIONS:

1. Brooke--Artist :-)....Marilyn Dean is a strong successful woman who treats Brooke right
2. Gary--City tour bus guide :-(...Dennis was a demanding whiny D-Bag who was always up Gary's butt.

Family:
Brooke's family--
Sister-Has a home, children, and a trained husband...she's responsible and cares for everyone.
Brother--Sings in a cappella group...when has that ever been cool?

Gary's family--
Dennis--see above
Lupus--inconsiderate pervert who's prone to tell a racist joke. He puts his winky first, then himself, then other people. Possibly the most villainous character in the film.

Friends:
Brooke--
We don't really get to focus on Brooke's friends because we're lead to believe that she devotes 98% of her time to Gary. Well there's her gay receptionist Christopher. He pretty much annoyed the crap out of her. So we can now add "annoying" to the male persona according to this movie. So when women say that all the good men are taken or GAY, this covers the gay portion by making them look bad as well. Even both of Brooke's dates were the two biggest D-bags on the planet. One was trying to get laid, the other was a complete child. Now we think that she is now doomed in the single life.

Gary--
Johnny tells Gary like it is, but is a partial psychopath for wanting to plot an attack on Brooke's dates or whoever it is that he believes she is seeing. Did I mention that Johnny's date was so cute and innocent...just like every other female was in this movie. Andrew was the wife clinger who sold out his friend..he was a very very sensitive character. Bad traits for Andrew!!!

...now lets move on into the film...

Brooke: The nurturer and provider in the apartment. She would work her super nice job and come home to doing everything while Gary was just a slug. She was the only one sacrificing and Gary is putting 0% effort into everything.

Gary: Alcoholic slacker who couldn't do anything right at work and at home. He was a cranky guy who because of his actions let us think he has zero reason to complain (sitting at home playing video games and watching sports). But the character is still made to be this way. But I think most importantly he was stereotyped as the way bitter women see men. He sat at bars, watched sports, screamed like a baby, did no cooking or cleaning, went to night clubs, played strip poker, had naked girls in his living room, wanted a pool table, the list goes on and on. We are also shown Gary's carelessness. How many people here felt bad for Brooke when Gary didn't show up to that rock concert? We the audience felt even worse in the next scene when Brooke was in the bedroom crying her eyes out. Was she crying because she was hurt? Was she crying because her plans to change Gary are backfiring? She states that he doesn't care anymore and that's what hurts the most.

Now we're up to the best part...as if the male isn't being kicked around enough in this 105 min torture fest
In the films, "go on girl" ending, Gary has finally developed some changes. He finally breaks down and surrenders now to Brooke and wants her back. She rejects him because she has nothing left to give him. Everything is set in stone and we see in the last scene of the movie that Gary has COMPLETELY changed all because of her...

SUMMARY RESULTS OUT OF 3
Brooke's plan to change Gary was a success.

Brooke 1
Gary 0

Brooke rejects Gary's proposal to start things over.

Brooke 2
Gary 0

Everything she did in the movie changed his life forever which we see in the last scene

Brooke 3
Gary 0

Brooke vs. Gary
3 0

The movie as a whole shows Brooke's patience and it seems that she has a lot of it and Gary's lack of...of....EVERYTHING!!! As long as we can see this movie for exactly what it is... A MOVIE.... and not the GUIDE TO LIFE then I think we can live in a world where we can take responsibility for our actions and not point the finger at the opposite gender. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

[–] kurrupt_dreams 16 years ago

Uh... i didn't bother reading your very long post... but Vince was a producer and co-writer on this film... along with other MEN (and one woman, his sister)... so they could have made it into a woman-bashing film.... but they chose to keep things even... everyone having faults... plus Vince, being of a male gender, would not codone a movie bashing himself (the character being an exaggerated portrayal of who he might be in this situation) or any random man for that matter... so no, you are wrong... afterall... right is right and wrong is wrong, right?

Man Overboard, ALARM!

[–] mcbain20 16 years ago

Well maybe you should read it first before making an assumption...

As far as him writing this goes... He's just combining two characters he has played before this film "Peter" from Dodgeball...(the loser underachiever) and "Jeremy" from the Wedding Crashers (the guy surrounding himself with hot chicks).
He most likely wrote the male portion of the film. Yes, it's needed to bring in both male and female audiences. But making his character the way it was didn't exactly make things funnier, it just made men look even worse. In 98%-100% of their arguments, any normal person would know that Aniston's character would be right. Gary just seemed more and more ridiculous as the film went on.

Also...

Just because a film crew that may have more men than women doesn't exactly excuse the fact of what it is. I'm a guy and if I wrote on paper 10 bad stereotypical things about men is everyone going to say "oh, it's ok...a guy wrote this so it's cool."

They wanted to cash out by combining romance with guys being silly and sexually perverted just like another smash hit starring Vaughn...The Wedding Crashers.

[–] kurrupt_dreams 16 years ago

Well... if you think they did it just to cash in... It worked... There are ALOT of Vince Vaughn fans that love him and the way he acts... He has made other more serious films and they are wonderful, but finally Old School producers gave him a chance to act in a comedy, and everyone found out that he could pull it off...

by the way, where in the break up was he perverted? He was repulsed when his brother kept bringing things up about girls and male genetalia... when they had a poker game? he was just doing it to get back at brooke... not because he was actually going to do anything.. .plus what non-perverted men do not like to look at women? if they say they don't (maybe including yourself) is lying... it is male instinct, not perversion... so i still don't understand why you label this movie as male bashing... plus, guys and girls naturally argue different points because that is how nature made humans...

and brooke had a lot of faults too... arguing about dishes when she really wanted to go to the ballet... breaking up with him to teach him a lesson... embarrasing him in front of the bowling team... pretending to sleep with guys (that was her intention, because she asked her friend if mabye gary that she was, and she was hoping he did)... walking around naked freashly shaved just to get his attention and realize what he is missing... if we follow your logic, it is a male and female bashing movie... but you didn't bring that up did you?

and you said brookes' sister was a good wife... but that wasn't her sister, it was her friend... her sister was the one that had a "vacation" with some
arizona football players... so not a good girl there... there were those poker playing girls ready and willing to take off their clothes, sluts... not good girls there either... marylin dean was not married and had sex with random guys... not so good...

gary's brother dennis was a nice guy who was tired of getting walked on, and tried to be more firm with his brothers in his business, he was really a nice guy... not a d bag... ok, i'll give you his brother lupus was a pervert... but christopher was not really annoying, if anything, it showed he had great heart... brooke's brother Richard may or may not have been gay, but it showed that he is not weak and can take care of himself (opposite of the stereotype)... gary's friend jonny was in there as comic relief playing off gary and was also a nice guy, very insightfull and helped gary realize that he may have been a little selfish... gary's other friend riggleman was a very nice guy who tried to also help gary and brooke... brooke's friend addie's husband was also very nice and a good person...

i think you are oversimplying this movie... every character, male or female, had faults and good things about them... defenitely does not meet the criteria for male bashing...

Man Overboard, ALARM!

[–] AScott20 13 years ago

I think that was the point. He never grew up with people who surrounded him with love and support and she has. She has it together and wants a committed man and probably marriage and kids. He is unsure of where he wants to go in his life with Brooke ----hence not marrying a girl who looks like her after 5 years. Even in his job, he was childish and made excuses...like with the log book he says "I am going through something right now and can not deal with this right now." He wants everyone to give him slack and let him get away with things and Brooke is the only one who doesn't let him get away with it. She pushes him to be healthy and to better himself. He is not used to that. He also assumed that they were over instead of working hard to try and figure it out...so instead pisses her off by buying a pool table and treating her like *beep* Just like the sister said "he is acting out."

[–] TuffLuck 12 years ago

I agree with the OP. While I didn't watch the entire movie, I got the same thing from the part I did watch. Still, it was no where as misandrist a movie as, say, Juno.

[–] KAnnD86 16 years ago

I think you are reading way too far into it and seeing male-bashing where there is none. Both main characters had faults and both led to the demise of their relationship. Gary was not an alcoholic.

Tomorrow's just your future yesterday!

[–] mysticangelg3 16 years ago

I think they portray bad and good in both men and women. They show her character as an uptight, anal retentive, over analyzing, unfun, overacheiving, controlling, dominating, empty, clean freak, who emasculates him*enough for you?*. How her family is and lack of friends is to support more of her characters characteristics. He is a hard working man making his own business like the all american dream. I dont think that means he is a slacker. He likes to do normal man things. Sports, hang out with friends, relax afrer work, yea he's kinda a slacker *alot of his characters are* he's hard working, funny, out going, laid back, fun loving, and determined. I dont think its as extream as you put it and if you want examples of anything I stated here feel free to ask.

[–] jhnyn 16 years ago

They both had faults and they were both portrayed that way.

Gary was selfish and inconsiderate and Brook was manipulative and deceitful.

Oh and by the way, we didn't see Brooke's sister. We saw her best friend.

[–] culainn64 16 years ago

I agree with you, Mcbain, it was a typical Hollywood male-bashing movie.
Men are usually depicted as insensitive jerks and women are always put-upon
and only sometimes over-react but it's not her fault its his.
The man always ends up being sorry and realizing he's a jerk.
I don't remember but where at the end of the film did Jennifer admit to
being wrong if you say the movie treated them both as being equally at fault?
Korrupt, you are plainly just an idiot based on your posts.
Just because Vince and D'Onofrio was in the movie and directed it doesn't
mean it's not misanthropic.
Are you saying someone can't be bias or prejudice against there own group?
It's not reading anything into the movie if that is someone's opinion. I think the movie was clearly anti-male and if you don't see it than
no amount of argument is going to change your mind.
Hollywood both in movies and TV is very misanthropic.
Look at the *beep* they put on TV around Father's day.
Clearly the male was portrayed in negative light compared to the woman.
I really don't see how some of you don't get that?
Maybe because our culture has blinded you.
Read the book Spreading Misandry.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] t_smitts 16 years ago

I appreciate it, but I have to say that a massive block of text like that is VERY hard to read. Can I suggest editing it to add some page breaks?

[–] vandemm 16 years ago

Of course women are trying to bash..ALWAYS the tiny one that knows its pathetic does that.
Wo cares? They talk nonsense all the time.And they believe it loool

When will they realize what they are?dont even know w they want

[–] rossitto92 13 years ago

Um.. that word.. i do not think it means what you think it means. "Hollywood both in movies and TV is very 'misanthropic' "? Misanthropic means one who does not fit into society. No gender is associated to it. And personally, i think Korrupt makes some good points. You disregarding that and calling him an idiot does not prove your point, it only shows your true colors... of bias. This is far from the most male-bashing movie ever (!!!), try a women's studies class for that, dude. And speaking of classes, the original post sounds like a college essay, full of impassioned debate that neither hits the mark nor shows any true understanding of life outside in the real world. Men, as any intelligent person of either sex would have to acknowledge lest they give up their right to be referred to as "intelligent," are incapable of fitting into any check-marked stereotype. This movie tells a story, a story that has a different meaning to each and every person who watches it. If you see this movie as male-bashing and emasculating, then from a psychological perspective you must feel in your own life that someone is doing the same to you. The movie isn't telling you that, you are inferring it. I, as a man(child) who has been in uncommunicative relationships that have failed in large part because I am often at a lack for words when it actually matters (e.g., not on an Internet message board), saw the movie as a pretty, funny, heartbreaking, and, in the end, realistic portrayal of things that happen in life, because each player in the game ultimately loses from self-inflicted wounds. Of course, I, in fact, am an actual idiot, so what do i know.

All I know is that I know nothing -- Socrates

[–] KekeAW 16 years ago

I watched the last 40 minutes of this movie and at the same time I was looking on the computer to see when it would be coming on again so I could watch the movie in it's entirety. Then I saw the scene at the concert where Brooke was so upset at Gary not attending. How sad. Then happiness, Gary is willing to change for her, willing to be who she wants him to be, and her reply is basically no thanks. Typical of a lot of women, finally get what they want and just knowing they have it is all they need. Had she responded the way we all had expected, she more then likely would have said to herself what do I do now? She only wanted him because she didn't have him, once she had him she didn't want him. Truthfully, I fear that I might do the same thing, in fact it holds me back to the point where I am the one that shies away. Consequently, I am still alone, afraid that I may take advantage of a nice fellow.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] gobucs991940 16 years ago

This thread is stupid. The women in the movie aren't funny...women in fact are never funny. That's why men are in this world: to make people laugh and pay for dinner, because women never pay (yet they want equal incomes).

[–] lulupalooza 16 years ago

You must be pretty young - which is totally cool, or have dated the wrong women so far. Take heart! In time you will find there are plenty of fun women who will also pay for things equally. I like to buy things for my guy and it's fun to treat him to dinner, etc. We have split expenses to go on vacation and other stuff. I think it's cool to share that kind of thing and to make each other laugh. But sometimes he insists on treating me and sometimes I insist on treating him.

Equal pay for equal work is perfectly legit...but a women (or man) should never depend on the other's money.

"Don't get chumpatized"! -The King of Kong (2007)

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] OddBallin 16 years ago

The story is by three men. The script is written by two men.