The immense success of “It Ends with Us” this weekend, a film that diverges from summer’s escapist fare by delving into a romantic drama with darker themes and starring Blake Lively, should serve as a wake-up call for Hollywood. This unexpected hit highlights a critical need for the industry to broaden its cinematic scope, yet there’s concern that entrenched stereotypes, like the term “chick flick,” might hinder such progress.
Historically, “chick flick” was used with a knowing nod towards feminist irony. Though I personally avoided the term in my reviews, it was clear why it gained traction. “Chick,” a relic of 1960s sexism, was reclaimed similarly to how “queer” was by the LGBTQ community—transforming a term of condescension into one of empowerment.
This rebranding, combining “chick” with “flick,” reflected a new wave of self-aware feminism that emerged around “Pretty Woman” and “Sex and the City.” A chick flick was seen as a romantic comedy or drama that women were drawn to instinctively, an evolution of the studio-era “women’s picture.” By the ’90s, the image of a woman indulging in such films alone with ice cream had become iconic, though now it feels somewhat cliché.
Finally, the term “chick flick” is outdated. It suggests a narrow demographic that’s misleading and outdated. Films, whether geared towards women or any other group, are not confined to such limiting categories. For instance, genres once considered “male” like horror and action have seen female audiences, rendering the old demographic models obsolete.
Reflecting on the success of “It Ends with Us,” it’s clear that categorizing it simply as a “women’s movie” underestimates its broader appeal. While it might be categorized as a chick flick, it also represents a human drama. This film’s success indicates a need for Hollywood to embrace diverse narratives and audiences without confining them to outdated labels.