Have you ever seen an 80's romantic comedy fantasy movie that had a problem with being progressive? Well, if you haven't, you should check out 1986 Willie Millie. If you've never heard of this title, you may want to check out the alternate titles. I was a teenager. And Something specialBut know that you can stream it now Willie Millie Free on Roku Channel at the time of this writing.
There's a lot to unpack here, so we might as well get right into it.
The "grass is always greener" scene
Willie Millie Millie Niceman (Pamela Adlon), a 14-year-old tomboy, is obsessed with astronomy. Knowing that her father, Fred (John Glover), has always wanted a boy and not a girl, Millie is frustrated with her place in life because she thinks being a boy is easier than being a girl.
Everything changes when Millie's best friend Stephanie (Mary Tanner Bailey) has an eccentric younger brother, Malcolm (who is revealed to be very young). Female green In one of his earliest roles), he sold her a magical spell that would grant her a wish that mimicked her deepest, darkest desires if she followed his specific instructions during an upcoming solar eclipse. As it turns out, Millie's deepest, darkest desire is to be a boy, which manifests itself the next day when she wakes up under her nightgown in the physical form of a penis.
Dissatisfied with her mother Doris (Patty Duke), Millie decides to change her name to Willie and live as a boy, which initially upsets her father. That is, until he finally finds out that he has the son he always wanted. Realizing that it is impossible to explain that Willie was a girl named Millie, Fred transfers his son to a new school so that he can start a new job after his conversion.
Unfortunately for Willy, he learns that being a boy has its own problems as he tries to navigate his new identity through adolescence. The issue continues to get more complicated. Willie Millie When Willy is tied to Willy's chair, Alfie (Eric Gurry) meets a boy who is conflicted about his love for Willy, who was a girl a week ago.
An incredibly progressive, but unsuccessful product for its time
With that in mind Willie Millie In the year I've seen it released in 1986, socially speaking I have to say it's way ahead of its time. When Millie turns into Willy, Fred does everything he can to make the boy feel comfortable in his new body. Fred He quickly learns to appreciate Willy for who he is, teaching Willy how to box and swear to become an alpha male, while he leans a little on the gender norms he knows as he approaches middle age in the 1980s. He wants to be, never calls him "she" after his transition, and makes several misguided but well-intentioned attempts to make sure his ex-daughter is seen as a boy after he decides to live. as a boy.
However, Fred supports his son's transition Willie Milliestill sees the world through the lens of what today is considered the epitome of toxic masculinity. You have to give Fred credit for doing the best he could under the circumstances Willie Millie As Alfie professes his love for Willie and is deeply ashamed of his feelings, he is unable to investigate when he reaches his third step today.
Moreover, you can find a normal teenager Sexually funny It strikes a little on the scary side in this context. Best of all, Alfie and his friends have a secret place to hide from bullies and no matter how playful they are with girls. Every time Willie tries to come off as sexually experienced he makes me cringe because locker room talk can easily be taken as incredibly coercive and sometimes borderline misconstrued.
One of the greatest movies of all time
Willie Millie It's one of those movies that you have to appreciate because it's so ambitious, but you deserve criticism for not giving it a whole lot. On the one hand, it addresses some of the gender issues we face today in a way that allows people who struggle with their own gender identity to be seen and heard. But for every little bit of progressive speech (whether intentional or not) found in it Willie MillieBecause of how hard it is to adhere to the stereotypical gender norms that have become so prevalent in the past decade, it fails to stick.
If you're willing to go on an adventure that's equal parts wholesome and naughty, you can stream. Willie Millie Free on Roku Channel as of this writing. And if you want to dive deeper into the movie, check it out. GenreVision Podcast for more insights and observations.
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