More often than not most films have a male rather than female protagonist, as the film industry was and still remains largely male-dominated and stories about men exploring their dark sides still take up a lot of real estate in the psychological and horror genre. For a long time, the “sad woman” character trope was created and nourished by male writers, giving way to more sexist than introspective portrayals of female madness.
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Thankfully, the invention and rise of the “Good For Her” film genre allowed a new generation of psychological thrillers to emerge and specialize in a female-led philosophy and lens, placing women back into the existential void and letting them experience the full range of the human psyche just like their male counterparts. These new, disturbed, fictional women have been granted their own autonomy and are allowed to feel their anger and frustration with their world, making them a delight to watch without dipping into objectification or tired clichés.
Ingrid Goes West(2017)
Effortlessly coolParks and RecreationalumniAubrey Plazais no stranger to playing moody and aloof characters, and she shows off her excellent acting chops in the 2017 dark comedyMatt Spicerfilm,Ingrid Goes West,playing the role of a troubled woman consumed and obsessed with social media and the idealized lives of Instagram influencers. Following the collapse of her previous ‘friendship’ and the death of her mother, Ingrid moves to Los Angeles to desperately pursue the friendship of popular influencer Taylor (played byElizabeth Olsen) and slowly goes off the deep end in an attempt to connect with and join Taylor’s picture-perfect life that leads to drastic and life-altering consequences.
Equally, a cautionary tale about the real dangers of social media without being too simplistic, as well as a reflective and empathetic dive into the mental state of people who experience these dangers,Ingrid Goes Westturns the ‘Crazy Woman’ trope on its head and makes the audience root for the protagonist rather than dislike her. Ingrid’s personal struggles and longing for recognition is something that anyone can relate to, even if her methods and means for achieving this are more than a little questionable.
The Love Witch(2016)
Draped in a dreamy and camp 1960s horror aesthetic despite taking place in modern times,The Love Witchis a visual masterpiece and mystical experience that explores the ideas of the male gaze, sexual desire, female sexuality, and the trope of the femme fatale through a specific female perspective. Directed byAnna Billerand starringSamantha Robinsonin the titular role the film follows Elaine Park, a young woman who uses her expertise in witchcraft to pursue men and achieve her goal of finding love, by any means necessary.
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The film is a slow-burn exploration of the historic male fears of female sexuality and autonomy by using the horror figure of the witch as the embodiment of these fears, as well as dissecting the film theory idea of the ‘Male Gaze’ and how it is impossible for women to live up to these societal standards placed upon them. On the surface,The Love Witchis a colorful, playful homage to the whimsical and bygone era of B-list horror films, but further viewing allows for a deeper analysis of feminist film theory and a voyeuristic criticism of the Male Gaze, as well as the sexist standards of the horror genre itself.
Jordan Peele’s 2019 horror film,Usfocuses on the struggle between a woman (Lupita Nyong’o) and her family against a rising group of hostile, government-created doppelgängers called ‘The Tethered’ that aim to kill and replace them. Similar to his previous filmGet Out,Usincorporates horror narratives and tropes that reflect larger, systemic issues relevant to real life, including the anxieties placed around the growing class divide and marginalism, as well as the effects of late-stage capitalism and the permanent fear of the ‘other’. A feminist approach to Marxist ideology is shown through the main character Adelaide, and her conflict with her identical enemy is used to describe the oppression of women against the patriarchal structure of capitalism that both women suffer under.
Nyong’o undergoes the arduous task of performing as the desperate matriarch Adelaide as well as the maniacal Tethered character Red, portraying the terrifying idea of literally going head-to-head against yourself and seeing who wins. Both women are shown just as equally brutal and bloodthirsty as each other, doing anything in their power to verify they are the ones who stay on top. The film endswith a shocking twistthat further explains the relationship between both women and leaves the audience confused about whom they should actually align themselves with, leaving the moral tone of the film being more gray than anything else and forcing everyone to reconcile with the real truth and cost of their privilege.
Midsommar(2019)
This summer, folk horror film may be well expected in this list, but it is included for good reason. Directed byAri Aster,Midsommaris a visual delight focusing on a traumatized young woman named Dani (played byFlorence Pugh) stuck in a toxic relationship with an uncaring man that constantly demeans and gaslights her, as well as his equally annoying friends as they travel to rural Sweden to visit a commune. The trip soon turns into a nightmare as it is soon revealed that this commune is actually a ferocious Pagan cult that is soon impossible to escape from, with the horror being displayed in broad daylight.
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Described by many as a ‘break-up film’, the end ofMidsommarfinds Dani in a different place than where she was from the beginning, both literally and metaphorically. The frightening scenes are shown in unwavering clarity through the use of summer daylight, and Dani’s transformation from a lost, suffering girlfriend to someone entirely different with a new philosophy of life is impossible to ignore. The ending leaves you with an intense sense of catharsis and expurgation that stays with you long after the credits roll, and will make you think about relationships and love in ways you might not have ever thought about before.
The Edge of Seventeen(2016)
Directed, written, and co-produced byKelly Fremon Craig,The Edge of Seventeenis a comedy-drama coming-of-age film that examines the messy, awkward stage of teenage girlhood with all the anger, grief, confusion, and restlessness that comes with it. StarringHailee Steinfeldas the main character Nadine who struggles with her strained relationship with her mother, living in the shadow of her popular older brother, an intense fall-out with her best friend, and overcoming the grief of her father’s sudden death as well as all the adversities that follow her throughout the duration of the film.
Nadine is a sardonic, pissed off teenager that clumsily stumbles her way through life, and doesn’t hide her anger at the world for making life so hard to deal with. Watching her constantly mess up is relatable to anyone who had to suffer through the hell that is the teenage experience, and Craig doesn’t shy away from showing all the mistakes that happen in our formative years that we all attempt to forget. Craig reminds us that these awkward parts of life are unavoidable, even if they are difficult and confusing, and that it’s these moments that help to ease the transition into adulthood. Unapologetically messy and emotional,The Edge of Seventeenreminds us of all the bad parts of growing up, but that you don’t have to suffer alone and that it’s okay to be a bit chaotic.
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