“Get in loser, we’re going shopping,” and “What, like it’s hard?” are two of the many instantly recognizable quotes from films that are often called “chick flicks.” Chick flicks are films marketed towards an audience of women and for many, they are comforting and endlessly rewatchable. Full of iconic characters and fashion, they are loved for their humor, relatable themes, lighthearted romance, and aesthetic qualities. “I think it’s kind of a break from life, because life can be challenging, so it is a nice time for my brain to relax and watch a stupid movie that makes me smile,” Berkeley High School senior Dahlia Cohan-Schiff said. Being oriented towards women, many chick flicks have large cult followings that make them continually relevant. However, general misogyny often leads to them being belittled and viewed as inferior to other films.
The current chick flick genre can be traced back to “women’s pictures” of the 1930s, films in old Hollywood that were related to romantic and domestic themes that were thought to relate to women. Later, in the 1960-70s, the women’s pictures genre evolved to appeal to newer audiences and women’s rights movements, focusing on broader and often darker themes. These films included “The Color Purple,” “Working Girl,” and “Valley of the Dolls.” As the genre evolved, teenage films that centered women were often labeled as chick flicks.
Often, chick flicks have substantial social commentary that gets overlooked. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was groundbreaking for its portrayal of female independence and self discovery. “Bring it On” is a film about high school cheerleaders that explores cultural appropriation and the white savior complex. “Clueless” pushes back against stereotypes through a dynamic character that can be girly, sexy, and funny at the same time. “Easy A” is a more recent teenage film that comments on slut shaming. These films, along with countless others, are well loved not only for their comedy and romance, but also for their compelling lead characters and unique plots centering on women.
Although women are the intended viewers of chick flicks, they often end up catering to male viewers as a byproduct of the patriarchal gaze embedded into all popular media. However, female audiences can reclaim these films through subtextual readings and new interpretations, particularly focusing on what these films mean for women.
While the criticism of the genre is understandable, there remains power in the existence of an entire genre that seeks to appeal to women in a cultural structure that has historically tried to appeal to men. It is harmful to reject a genre and reduce it to frivolity when it is something that has meant a lot to so many women. “When I was younger, a lot of the characters in chick flicks were older and mature, and they wore cool outfits and I always was like ‘I want to be like them when I grow up’,” Schiff said. More often than not, individual chick flicks are so much more than the categories they get boxed into, featuring characters that are just as dynamic as any other film. A genre of joy and womanhood, audiences continue to treasure these girly movies decades later. “It’s just fun because it’s kind of realistic, a little bit not, but it’s just the high school life, a little bit older. You can relate a little bit, but with more drama so it’s fun,” BHS senior Willa Ballard said. Chick flicks should be celebrated for being iconic, comedic, fashionable, and powerful pieces of media.