A satirical, French perspective on rom-coms and society’s gender roles that will leave you laughing from a place of deep and personal understanding.

I Am Not an Easy Man, a French film, follows Damien, a macho chauvinist, who knocks his head while catcalling teen girls and wakes up in his worst nightmare: a matriarchal society where women reign supreme. He suddenly gets a taste of his own medicine, receiving the same demeaning treatment he has inflicted on countless women throughout his own life. In an act of cosmic justice, he realizes what it’s like to walk a mile in their heels, from having to go through grueling beauty routines (hello, chest hair landing strip!) to dealing with casual discrimination and sexual harassment. Damien meets his match when he finds Alexandra, a flourishing author who is a powerful playgirl. When Damien tries to impose his “old” world thinking onto Alexandra to show her who’s boss, she decides to use his “delusions” as her new novel premise. The film follows their tumultuous relationship as they battle for dominance. Damien’s experience in this strange new world is depicted with alarming accuracy and is one many women will instantly recognize, and his experience is as thought-provoking as it is amusing!

I enjoyed this film so much because it balanced love, satire, comedy, and some powerful feminist theory! There were elements of this upside-down world that were heartwarming and empowering to see. Watching men comfortably share their feelings and thoughts, being vulnerable around each other and supporting one another, was such a rare thing to find onscreen. I found myself wishing there was more of this dynamic in films to illustrate that gentleness and connection is not something to shy away from regardless of gender.  

‍

I have also never seen a birth scene as empowering as one of the female characters…it was totally different take on birth, and while I laughed I also thought they were making some great points! Women should be seen as super powerful given how much we can bear, rather than having the feminine traditionally associated with being “weak.” While it was a funny film, there were also many valid points made about how society treats women that have really stuck with me. I chose this movie on a whim, but it ended up being a really empowering and inspirational movie that I keep coming back to!