It's true. A student wrote that on an official evaluation. Luckily I wasn't teaching a course in Feminist Theory, because then I would have really failed.
As I sat in bed watching Juno, I was still bothered by Bleeker's lack of involvement in the whole situation. Then the DH came home laid down on the bed and said of Jason Bateman. "He's really gross in this movie." I said, "Yes he is" before I realized we were commenting on two completely different aspects of the film.
The DH thinks Mark is gross for hitting on Juno and, possibly, for abandoning his wife. We agree about that. However, as I listened to Vanessa tell Mark about his "stupid" shirt, I realized this was another aspect of Mark that was gross. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thinks he still might end up Kurt Cobain - before the suicide; and/or they are upset because they thought they'd die before they were 27 - either way, he is tied to his rock star fantasies.
The shirt is stupid, not because Vanessa doesn't like the band, but because it demonstrates the way Mark is fixated on his past. In the film it is easy to see how Vanessa is fixated and demaning. The house is a shrine to it. It's easy not to see,until it is too late, how tenaciously Mark is clinging to something else. I just want to point out that Vanessa's critique of Mark is a valid one. It's as valid as the critique the film makes of Vanessa; and, it's every bit as "gross" as Mark trying to kiss Juno. However, I think there are a lot of men and women who don't sympathize with Vanessa's position. Heck, the film doesn't even sympathize with her. Just think for a minute of what you remember of Vanessa. It makes fun of her. It is a comedy after all.
There is no one perfect way to "grow - up." In many ways Vanessa is just as wrong as Mark, but by portraying Mark as this cool guy the film is sympathetic to him. It lulls us into forgetting that in reality we should all be able to grow and change.
Quiet and cozy...
9 hours ago
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