Saturday, December 02, 2023

Where Did All The Manic Pixie Dream Girls Go?



The first time I heard the term "manic pixie dream girl," I immediately knew what they were talking about, and I thought of Goldie Hawn. She was that character in most of her movies, but I particularly thought of Butterflies are Free. The cinematic stereotype, however, became very common in films in the 21st century. I believe the character came to be used to represent young women who are each convinced she's "not like other girls." The main plot revolves around how such a quirky, free-spirited character changes a young man's conservative, restricted viewpoint and makes him more accepting and appreciative of a woman who is somehow different. Still, when the same character shows up so many times in so many movies, she stops being "different" and comes across as just plain ditzy. The character is not exactly going away, but evolving into less of a stereotype and into a more complex personality, which is only appropriate.


2 comments:

  1. Those quirky, high spirited, a little ditsy, girls are great fun but extract a terrible toll for their companionship when it’s time to pay the piper.
    xoxoxoBruce

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