Going to see a film, or even scrolling through titles on Netflix, is a pleasant form of escapism.
In a typical box-office hit, the characters may be excessively attractive, the plotlines unrealistically smooth, or the scenery just a little too scenic. And then there are the kitchens.
Especially for those of us living in small apartments with barely-there cooking spaces, watching stars waltz around their grand kitchens is divine. Take Sasha’s huge countertops from Netflix’s new rom-com “Always Be My Maybe” or even Jules’ house in “The Intern.”
But the woman responsible for directing beautifully set films such as “The Intern,” “The Holiday,” and “Something’s Gotta Give” isn’t exactly happy that you like her kitchens. Nancy Meyers thinks you’re being sexist.
In a conversation with “Late Night” producer Mindy Kaling on Saturday, Meyers said she’s tired of people focusing on her kitchens.
“I don’t love when a critic or journalist will pick up on that aspect, because they are missing the boat and they are missing why [the movie] works,” Meyers said, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“It’s never done to male directors who make gorgeous-looking movies, where the leads live in a great house. It’s never brought up. With me, it’s an easy thing to go after, but I am not going to change it.”
A kitchen, however, is sometimes just a kitchen. Even Huffington Post reporter Marina Fang notes that there’s nothing sexist about loving (or hating) a fictional, beautiful home. “In several of Meyers’ movies, the characters’ living spaces are even a central plot point,” Fang wrote.
The space a character inhabits tells a lot about them, and Meyers’ films are no exception. In an interview from 2015, Meyers told Vulture how the set of “Something’s Gotta Give” developed the character of its female lead:
Female directors like Meyers may think they’re giving women a break by calling out sexism in movie criticism. But there’s nothing unfair about commenting on a film’s set design.
If Meyers really wants to set an example for other female directors, she should encourage us to keep talking about her kitchens.
Let’s block ads! (Why?)
