Hysteria (2011)

Director: Tanya Wexler


Cast: Hugh Dancy (1), Maggie Gyllenhaal (2), Felicity Jones (3), Rupert Everett (4)

(Watch the trailer)

My favourite quote - 
"I know by the time I'm gone, women will have the vote, they'll have equal education, and rights over their own bodies. And I'd like to play some small part in making that happen." 

Hysteria first caught my attention when I found out that one of my favourite actors, Hugh Dancy, was one of the cast members. Then when I found out Maggie Gyllenhaal and Felicity Jones were in it too, I decided that I just had to watch the film. Now this film is still not shown in theaters in Singapore, but it was shown at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Anyhow, I only discovered what the film was about when I started watching it. And I was surprised, and wasn't quite sure if it were fact or fiction. 

Hysteria is a film about how the vibrator was first invented. But don't be fooled by its flashy topic. This film is also about women's place in society during the Victorian era. The inventor of the vibrator is indeed Mortimer Granville, but the facts I believe have been sensationalized or modified to make the film interesting. 

I love watching the Miss Universe pageants. And I remember Australia's Jennifer Hawkins being asked this question: "If you could choose what time period and what sex to be, what would you choose and why?". Her answer was: "I'd have to say this time period because we have as much freedom as we want. And I choose the sex of female, because females have a lot to say in today's society. So I'd say this century, today." And when I ask myself this same question that was posed to her, my answer too is today. I think women today are very lucky. We don't HAVE to stay at home and cook and clean. We are permitted to have a good education and carve a successful career of our own. We are not subjected to as much discrimination as women in the past suffered. Compared to the women in the Victorian era, we are much luckier. 

"You must admit, you men really did get the better side of the bargain. For us, its mindless housework and doting on some halfwit. Its simply not enough for me, or for most women." - Charlotte Dalrymple 

Consider all the period films like Pride and Prejudice, Becoming Jane, Beatrix Potter just to name a few, all the women during those times were subjected to so many restrictions and were thought so little of. I'm grateful to all the women in the past who stood up for women's rights and equality. It is because of their bravery and courage that women today have a say about how to live their lives, who to marry, and what kind of work they do. 

"Its very easy isn't it? To make fun of women's lives. I would like to see you walk for one mile in our shoes. I imagine that your mirth would turn first to sympathy and then to despair."  - Charlotte Dalrymple 

Men vs Women is also a theme much covered in Hysteria. Doing housework and taking care of the family is something women still do today. But the difference is that isn't the only thing they are allowed to do these days. There has been many debates over this topic since a long time ago. And today, women are still expected to be able to take care of the family, as well as to cook and clean. Having a successful career is only if you can manage to juggle everything at home first. Well, that isn't the case for every single woman, and some women have very wonderful supportive husbands. And many households now employ domestic helpers to manage the household chores and take care of the children. 

She's The Man (2006)

Director: Andy Fickman (1)

Cast: Amanda Bynes (2), Channing Tatum (3), Vinnie Jones (4), Amanda Crew (5), Robert Hoffman (6)

(Watch the trailer)

My favourite quote - "Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." 

My full name is Monica Alexia Goh Li Li. And these are just a few nicknames my friends (who are also my colleagues) have given me: Manly Monica, Monly Manica, Monica Gor Gor (Gor Gor means older brother in Mandarin), Lily G, Alex Gor Gor, Hamburglar, Go Li. Quite a number of the nicknames above have something to do with the word 'man'. You see, they all think I'm very manly. And according to them, in my office, where there a number of pretty manly guys, I'm ranked the second most manly person there. Second only to my big boss. 

I don't know if I should be happy or distressed by the fact that I'm a woman, and my friends/colleagues see me more as a man than a woman. What has this got to do with the film She's The Man you ask? Well, firstly, the phrase 'She's the man' is something my friends/colleagues would probably use to describe me. Secondly, it brings to mind the fact that some women can do the same things men can do. That is the gist of what I love about the film. 

Even if a woman is manly or does a manly sport doesn't mean she's not a woman at heart or that she cannot do something a man can do. Outwardly, a woman can be as strong as any man or have mannerisms like a man, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want to be treated well and as an equal to the men she dates. Likewise, it doesn't mean that if you're a man, that you are not sensitive or shy as Channing Tatum's Duke is. Some men can be so manly on the field or in their careers yet be so sensitive and considerate regarding their partners. And some woman can be so outwardly manly yet need and crave to be well treated and respected by their partners. 

I think what women now want is to be respected for what they can do in their careers yet still be pampered and taken care of by their man. Yes, women want the best of both worlds. I want that. Call me greedy all you want, but hey, that's the truth. Not all women are like me of course, but I'm speaking for myself. 

I love watching She's The Man because of the plot and its themes, but also because of its comedic timing, the talented cast, and the allusions to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night littered in the film. I used to study Shakespeare at school, and though I cannot say I fully understand all his plays, I do enjoy watching modernised versions of his plays. Among all the modernised Shakespearean plays made to film, I love She's The Man, Get Over It and 10 Things I Hate About You the most. Romeo and Juliet is the skeleton of SO MANY films, its hard to like everything. Although Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet is not a fully modernised version, since they spoke in Shakespearean English, it is my favourite modernised version of Romeo and Juliet so far.

She's The Man also has a great cast, and my favourite being Amanda Bynes who plays the lead Viola Hastings. It is also in this film that made me sit up and notice Amanda Crew. The next time I saw her in film was the film adaptation of Charlie St Cloud. But first, back to Amanda Bynes. I think she's an amazing actress, I recently re-watched her performance in Easy A and heard her singing in the film adaptation of Hairspray. I think she has great comedic timing and I think she managed to be exaggerated (as the role calls for) but not give an over-the-top cringe-worthy kind of performance. 

This film also made me notice Channing Tatum. I can't remember which I saw first, She's The Man or Step Up, but either way, I think he did a great job in this film. He portrayed the jock-type personality extremely well, but I did not expect to enjoy his softer and more sensitive moments he shares with Viola in the film, but I did. And I totally did not think he would be funny at all but he was so funny in the few scenes where he had to be comedic. The rest of the cast, including the coach of Illyria played by Vinnie Jones (he actually plays football and is a retired footballer) was fantastic. 

She's The Man may not be liked by everyone, but I love it because it speaks to me. After all, in the words of Viola Hastings' friend Paul - "Just remember, inside every girl, there's a boy. That came out wrong, but you know what I mean." It's a film about remembering to be just the way you are, because those who love you for who you are are the ones who matter. And, just go for what you want!

(1) Director Andy Fickman has directed films like Race To Witch Mountain (2009), You Again (2010), and Parental Guidance (2012).

(2) Amanda Bynes has acted in films like Big Fat Liar (2002), What A Girl Wants (2003), Lovewrecked (2005), Hairspray (2007), Sydney White (2007), and Easy A (2010). She is well-known for playing the lead role, Holly Tyler in the televisions series What I Like About You (2002-2006).

(3) Channing Tatum has acted in films like Coach Carter (2005), Step Up (2006), Stop-Loss (2006), Fighting (2009), Public Enemies (2009), G.I. Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra (2009), Dear John (2010), The Vow (2012), 21 Jump Street (2012), Magic Mike (2012), and G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013).

(4) Vinnie Jones has acted in films like Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Gone In 60 Seconds (2000), Swordfish (2001), Eurotrip (2004), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Year One (2009), and Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball (2010)

(5) Amanda Crew has acted in films like Final Destination 3 (2006), Sex Drive (2008), The Break-Up Artist (2009), Charlie St Cloud (2010), and Sisters & Brothers (2011).

(6) Robert Hoffman has acted in films like Coach Carter (2005), Step Up 2: The Streets (2008), and Aliens In The Attic (2009).

The Eclectic Reviewer thinks… She's The Man will not just make you LOL, it will also remind you to just be yourself and go for what you want. Nothing is impossible, as long as you work hard to achieve what you set out to achieve. (4.8 of 5)

* Movie Poster from Wikipedia

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