Feminism and Romance in Sweet Home Alabama

Summary:

            American director and screenwriter C. Jay Cox’s screenplay, Sweet Home Alabama, which lead to the 2002 film of the same name, follows Melanie Carmichael, a successfully rising New York fashion designer who unexpectedly becomes engaged to the son of the New York City Mayor. However, before she can say have her happily ever after she is forced to go back home to the South to confront her past−Including Jake, her husband, who refuses to divorce her. While the trip back home initially reacquaints her with a past she’d like to leave behind her, she soon begins to reevaluate the things she’s left behind and what she truly wants.

            Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G_8pI3X8zk

Further Information on Cox:

            C. Jay Cox is known for creating screenplays that are considered romantic comedies in the film industry. Within his screenplays, he features both heterosexual and homosexual identities and relationships. Sweet Home Alabama is his most famous work to date.

Analysis:

            Sweet Home Alabama, as a romantic comedy, accurately conveys the two primary criteria of romance films. First off, the film contains a central story. According to the Romance Writers of America, the plot of a central love story is where “the main plot centers around individuals falling in love and struggling to make the relationship work” (Romance Genre). The central love story takes place between Melanie and Jake. During her visit down South, Melanie and Jake are once again are brought together. And while they at first appear to be bitter estranged spouses, their actions conveyed onscreen show a relationship between two lovers struggling to accept their true feelings for one another. For example, their struggles include Jake refusing to sign their divorce papers and Melanie trying to put him behind without any attached feelings. But they clearly both still hold a flame for one another. The “falling in love” portion of their story occurs as they spend more time together in their hometown and remember the reasons they did love one another. Thus falling in love but all over again. Secondly, the film has an emotionally satisfying ending. Throughout the film, audiences are drawn into the love triangle Melanie has woven herself into. They are either for Andrew or Jake. The way the film is set up audiences end up rooting for Melanie and Jake, due to their history together and the feelings that are still present between them. So when Melanie final realizes her and Jake are meant to be, and they finally get together again that establishes the satisfying ending of the film. Ultimately, the film possesses a central love story and brings it to a satisfying ending that only a true romance film can bring.

            The film manages to both challenge and represent feminist values. Feminism represents equity between both sexes, and challenges the status quo that has been given to both genders and sexes. Melanie is portrayed as a successful, independent, and self-made fashion designer. Whereas, Jake is also a successful, independent, and self-made glassmaker. In the film both man and wife are shown to each be equal to one another. They both had the same ambitions to do something big and were able to do so in their careers. Even in their marriage balance of power is seen, especially during their arguments. They both play the victim and the offender at the same time. Because she left, and he didn’t. Then she sent divorce papers, and he didn’t sign. And most importantly, they gave up on each other. However, the film does undermine feminist values in one particular way in the film. It appears that in order to be successful, independent, and driven you can’t have “roots and wings” (Sweet Home Alabama). Melanie left her home to try and be somebody- Somebody with a promising future. And I felt the film women have to go up part of themselves to be what they aspire to be in life. In which case, feminist values are completely thrown out the window.

            I believe, while the film prioritizes presenting a love story, it also exposes audiences to other important issues that occur in everyday life. The film covers a wide array of topics in an indirect way. Teenage pregnancy, teenage marriage, miscarriage, divorce, abandonment, small town living, achieving dreams and aspirations, lying to protect yourself and the repercussions for doing so, being gay in conservative atmosphere, among others. The incorporation of all of these story lines allows for the story itself to be more realistic because it brings up issues that audience members can relate to. Also the presence of these different types of issues makes the characters more believable and credible. If the film didn’t present any of these topics, it would simply be a highly overrated romantic fantasy. By making the characters more human with these story lines, they solidify the relationships formed in the film.

            The romantic comedy, Sweet Home Alabama, epitomizes the true meaning of feminism and romance.  Through the relationship of Melanie and Jake, a central love story takes place, and a emotionally satisfying ending is achieved by their mutual union. And while the film, does represent feminist values, it also challenges them. However, the draw away from feminist values, and introduction to more societal issues allows for story to be relatable for the audience, and strengthens the relationships seen in the movie. All in all, the film fully represents feminism and romance.

Works Cited

"About the Romance Genre." Romance Writers of America. Romance Writers of America, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016.

Sweet Home Alabama. Dir. Andy. Tennant. Perf. Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas. 2002. DVD.