Romantic comedies from the early 2000s were lighthearted, serving as a way for the whole family to unwind and share a few laughs. As society becomes more inclusive and these films age, we are reminded of the societal prejudices that were, and still are, commonly accepted two decades ago. While the industry has seemingly taken greater care in removing racism and sexism in these movies, ageism often goes unnoticed. A deeper look into the top ten grossing films from this era reveals telling patterns in the portrayal of older persons, highlighting how these films reflect and potentially shape our perception of ageing. This is not to be conflated with the ageism that exists within the movie industry, dictating how roles are cast, but rather how the characters embody the ageist stereotypes we see today.
In My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), Gus Portokalos, the father of Toula Portokalos, is portrayed as stubborn, gullible, and victimised. This is exemplified in the scene where Gus finds out that Toula would like to attend college to learn more about computers. Gus initially ignores her before having a breakdown, asking Toula why she wants “to leave [him].” Within the scene, his body language can be seen as weak, and almost cowardly. His hands start shaking and he starts crying, portraying himself as the victim in this particular instance. This is followed by him exclaiming a few out-dated worldviews and insulting Toula. He tells her that she “should get married [and] have babies” instead of pursuing an education as she is starting to “look old.” The stereotype that older people have outdated views can be seen in more movies from the list; older characters in Hitch (2005), The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2003), and What Women Want (2000) can be seen challenging younger characters’ more progressive ideas. The perpetuation of this stereotype results in a generalised view that all older people have outdated ideals and is a tool used by younger people to undermine older people’s views. Such stereotypes are abhorrent and dehumanise older people, boiling them down to a homogenous caricature.
These portrayals, under the guise of humour and satire, have the power to influence our perceptions of older people. When older characters are repeatedly shown as frail, technologically inept, or resistant to change, these stereotypes are reinforced in the dominant narrative about older people outside the screen. According to Jonathan Cohen, this is character identification, “a mechanism through which audience members experience reception and interpretation of the text from the inside as if the events were happening to them,” (Cohen 1). As viewers experience emotional contagion, a phenomenon through which they involuntarily mimic the younger protagonist’s emotions and behaviours, they may internalise the protagonist’s perceptions of the stereotyped older characters, viewing them as universally applicable to all older people. The majority of these movies, which all sold over 10 million copies, are marked as safe for younger audiences. Considering the malleability of personal biases at a young age, as argued by Kubrak, it is clear how these films have contributed to ageist stereotypes.
Cohen, J. (2001). Defining identification: A theoretical look at the identification of audiences with media characters. Mass Communication & Society, 4(3), 245–264. doi.org/10.1207/S15327825MCS0403_01
My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Directed by Joel Zwick. Performances by Michael Contantine and Nia Vardalos. Gold Circle Films, 2002.
