Apr 20, 2018
Today’s movie is “I Am Not An Easy Man” (2018), the Netflix Original French comedy directed by Eleonore Pourriat and written in collaboration with Ariane Fert, based on Pourriat’s short “Oppressed Majority”. The film follows Damien (Vincent Elbaz), a chauvinistic man who wakes up in a world where women individually and systemically oppress men, falling for Alexandra (Marie-Sophie Ferdane), a popular author looking to use Damien as material.
Let me start by saying that I enjoyed this film, but I was hoping it would be something else. The premise alone is a gold mine, bringing to life all the subconscious fears of chauvinistic men who believe having women in power positions must necessarily come with the same shameless oppression and privilege as men today, arguments often heard during the period of second-wave feminism where (mostly white) women were fighting for access to work outside those considered “traditional” roles.
Eleonore Pourriat expands her runaway short “Oppressed Majority” from a vignette into a feature-length film with the help of Ariane Fert, eschewing the more grisly subject matter for a fast-paced, more light-hearted romantic comedy format. Damien and Alexandra’s romance plays out like any number of romantic comedies, but the reversals give insight into our own socialized gender roles. I also really enjoyed the use of feminine takes on language, including words like “lumberjane”, “masculinist”, and “fatherfucker”.
It is a solid film, but it also has a couple drawbacks. First, it ends really abruptly, leaving most of the story untold, even if there are hints of what may come to pass. Second, the film ends up showing two flawed structures for society, steeped in the belief in hierarchies, which are themselves patriarchal in nature according to some third-wave feminist thought. I really wished the film would have tried to show what a post-sexist society would actually look like, and I’m not sure that means having a suitably diverse suite of oligarchs still controlling society.
“I Am Not An Easy Man” (2018) is a fun romantic comedy that plays with serious questions about individual and systemic sexism, told through the lens of an alternate universe. The film is great if you don’t think about it too much, and still good if you do recognize the philosophical flaws in the theory behind the premise. Fans of romantic comedies and films critical of gender roles will definitely enjoy this film.
Rotten Tomatoes: NR
Metacritic: NR
One Movie Punch: 7.4/10
“I Am Not An Easy Man” (2018) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix.