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While there is a lot of media with female characters and even protagonists, the ratio of male to female character ratio in literature is roughly 4:1. So it’s not surprising that people would have to actively seek out media that specifically features women.
An internet user wanted to hear from other women what films they thought best depicted genuine “female rage” and netizens delivered. Revenge, rage, and frustration are all featured in people’s suggestions, so be sure to upvote your favorite examples as you scroll through and comment your own ideas below.
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#1
Hidden figures - scene when he asks why it took so long to go to the bathrooms and back.
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#2
I’m gonna have to go with Ripley from the Aliens movies. She’s a calm, cool and collected competent female professional with a perfect amount of righteous indignation at the inhumane callousness of her corporate handlers and that epic “get away from her you b***h!” mama bear instinct that will always stand out to me.
Part of the reason for this lack of representation is that women do not have nearly as much of a foothold in cinema as men. Only 18% of all Hollywood directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors are female. As a result, it’s not hard to imagine that stories of “female fury” are overlooked in favor of more male-centric narratives. It’s not impossible for a man to write an angry woman, but more likely that a woman would write a more lasting one.
If we think about the top films of any given year, between 10 and 20% will be headlined by a woman. Hence the need for viewers to actively reach out for advice on films that depict something specific from the perspective of a woman. This is similarly true for casting in general, for example, in 2014, only 28.1% of characters in 100 top-grossing films were female.
#4
Thelma and Louise!
Susan Sarandon & Gina Davis were amazing in the movie & perfectly cast.
Groundcontroltomajortom 1 year ago
Always makes me cry this film, done so beautifully and a stellar cast.
#5
The Menu
I saw in an interview with Anya Taylor Joy that (spoiler) the moment her character Margot finds out that Tyler brought her to the island knowing it will end in their deaths, the script said she would just sit there silently crying, but instead she was like "yeah nah, no woman would ever react like that, especially to finding out she was about to die" and instead had Margot slap and claw the bejeezus out of Tyler, as she should. I love her for that, and loved Margot overall.
It’s similar in other roles. Amy Pascal is the studio chief for Sony, the only female leader in a major film studio. The same can, unfortunately, be said of pay as well. While times are changing and there is some variety in different cohorts, overall, in some years a Hollywood female actress will make just forty cents for each dollar earned by a male counterpart. Remember, in general, when people talk about the pay gap, it’s normally around 20% less, not 60%.
#7
First Wives Club, especially Diane Keaton’s character, who tried so hard to be supportive and kind and kept getting shat on by life. Her blow ups were particularly well deserved.
The few female specialists that do still make a name for themselves in Hollywood are often subject to rampant abuse and hateful comments. The website Sh*t People Say to Women Directors (& Other Women in Film) contains just a fraction of stories from the industry if you are curious to learn more. More darkly, the me too movement was a direct result of a male-dominated industry where abusers could limit access to talented women who opposed them.
#10
'Girl, Interrupted' was probably the first movie I saw that portrayed female rage and mental illness in a sympathetic light. It really stuck with me
#12
The Dressmaker is an excellent, gorgeous film and depicts female anger and vengeance.
The question about female rage may have been sparked by the simple, but unfortunate fact that all too often a woman’s role in a film is to look nice. In the 56 top-grossing films of 2018 around the world, female characters were four times more likely than men to be shown wearing revealing clothing or be completely nude and nearly twice as likely to be shown as partially nude.
#14
There are some moments / speeches from Angela Bassett (Queen Ramonda) in Black Panther 2 which are incredible, although rage mixed with anguish
️️Upvote faery️ 1 year ago
Angela Bassett is an amazing actress!! I love her in everything she does, but especially in AHS!!!
#15
Midsommar, I feel like that one definitely shows how a lot of the times it is a slow burn thing and it doesn’t always start off as anger, but sadness and a feeling of betrayal
Wysteria_Rose 1 year ago
One of the best films that depicts grief and how vulnerable you are without genuine relationships to help you by. Florence Pugh was amazing in this film and deserved more recognition for it.
This is equally as true for prime-time television, where women were overall the minority of characters anyway. In fact, unlike in other industries, the representation gap is actually growing in television. So, unfortunately, portrayals of accurate “female rage” are likely as few and far between as accurate portrayals of female anything. Hopefully, these statistics can be evened out and more than one in ten directors will actually be a woman.
#16
G.I Jane, when she finally tells them......... *Suck my d**k!*
#21
Mr Hollands Opus, the scene where his wife has a breakdown for not being able to communicate with her son.
#22
Not quite rage per say, but the scene in Princess Kaguya (Ghibli film) after a man dies in pursuit of her hand in marriage, she breaks everything around her and runs back to her hometown as a streak of destruction across the countryside. The film is animated and this scene is drawn with mostly strokes of thick black charcoal and really shows the raw emotion of anger, sorrow, and frustration. The whole scene felt like a very realistic reaction as well as accurate portrayal of the anger inside of women.
#23
I like Florence Pugh’s monologue as Amy in Little Women to Teddy about being a woman in that time. I thought that was excellently done. The whole film isn’t about that. But that scene was A+
that one ace lesbian demigirl 1 year ago
correct me if i'm wrong but isn't that Jo in the picture?
#25
couldn’t choose just one, so:
gone girl
the virgin suicides
pearl and x
midsommar
raw
the vvitch
black swan
possession
heavenly creatures
i’m obsessed with feminine rage, and i have sooo many book recs about it as well!
#27
Obligatory not a film but the first series of Killing Eve. Particularly Sandra Oh's character.
#28
I like “The Break Up.” Jennifer Anniston’s character did a great job of illustrating how women can get frustrated in a relationship even when they like the guy.
#29
I think Kate Winslet and Jodie Foster both portray anger/rage very well in Carnage. That pent up anger and resentment finally forcing its way out is something that I think a lot of us can relate to.
#30
Ladybird
What do you think ?
Jo Cooper 1 year ago
I was just thinking that, especially the animated O-Ren Ishii scene.
Load More Replies...
CanadianDimes 1 year ago
I wish all of these had an explanation, not just some of them. The title of the film alone isn’t enough to explain why it’s a good example of feminine rage. I want to know why people think that!
P.C. 1 year ago
Yeah. I was expecting to see elaboration. Some did better than others, at least listing the moment/woman in the movie.
Load More Replies...
Leo Domitrix 1 year ago
I'm not sure what counts as "female rage". It's just rage. Occasionally psychotic homicidal stuff ("Monster" for example). But nobody mentioned Norma Rae. One woman vs the company, holding the sign "UNION". That was epic.
Daffydillz~ 1 year ago
Norma Rae is a phenomenal movie. Have you seen Sally Field in the movie Sybil? Another great movie from this time period is Silkwood. This drama is based on the true story of Karen Silkwood (Meryl Streep), who works at a nuclear facility, along with her boyfriend, Drew Stephens (Kurt Russell), and their roommate, Dolly Pelliker (Cher). When Karen becomes concerned about safety practices at the plant, she begins raising awareness of violations that could put workers at risk. Intent on continuing her investigation, Karen discovers a suspicious development: She has been exposed to high levels of radiation.
Load More Replies...
Laura Lett 1 year ago
Diary of a Mad Black Woman. When she almost let the sob drown, I felt that,hard. Especially, after what he put her through.
sofacushionfort 1 year ago
Beatrice Straight took the Oscar in 1976 for “Network:” less than five minutes of screen time, with a speech about how she as a wife could be dumped and her life upended just because her husband as experiencing a bout of mid-life self-pity
Chewie Baron 1 year ago
There’s a few scenes of female rage in Titanic that still hold up well. Especially when you consider how it was for women back then. Which was abysmal.
Nikki Sevven 1 year ago
Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich. Meryl Streep in Silkwood. Sissy Spacek in Carrie. Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. Diane Lane in Lady Beware. Simone Signoret in Diabolique. Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton in 9 to 5. Fairuza Balk in The Craft.
Leo Domitrix 1 year ago
Oh, I forgot 9 to 5. Their revenge scenarios were awesome.
Load More Replies...
Mama Penguin 1 year ago
Rose's monologue in Fences when Rose (Viola Davis) finally stands up for herself against her husband Troy (Denzel Washington) after years of keeping her composure, staying loyal and devoted to her husband and son. Her anger, pain, and frustration that she kept to herself for so long were being poured out in a heart wrenching two minute monologue.
Queen Joe Jetpack 1 year ago
Hermione in Harry Potter!! The flying birds, calling Ron an A***, yelling at Harry that she’s not an owl! I could go on for ages
Queen Joe Jetpack 1 year ago
Also Ellie from Jurassic Park, she kicks butt
Load More Replies...
William Teach 1 year ago
The Cleansing. Nice bit of medieval "witch". By the end you're wondering if there if everyone is a bad guy/woman
mSpencer 1 year ago
The scene in Natural Born Killers when Mallory got her revenge on her parents always brings me to applause! Also, I think May belongs here because how angry she was about being rejected by someone. And I think it's really important that Carrie needs to be higher up on this list.
Duckie Measles 1 year ago
Not a movie, but The Power TV series (on Prime Video) is a good example of rage.
Jo Cooper 1 year ago
I was just thinking that, especially the animated O-Ren Ishii scene.
Load More Replies... CanadianDimes 1 year ago
I wish all of these had an explanation, not just some of them. The title of the film alone isn’t enough to explain why it’s a good example of feminine rage. I want to know why people think that!
P.C. 1 year ago
Yeah. I was expecting to see elaboration. Some did better than others, at least listing the moment/woman in the movie.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 1 year ago
I'm not sure what counts as "female rage". It's just rage. Occasionally psychotic homicidal stuff ("Monster" for example). But nobody mentioned Norma Rae. One woman vs the company, holding the sign "UNION". That was epic.
Daffydillz~ 1 year ago
Norma Rae is a phenomenal movie. Have you seen Sally Field in the movie Sybil? Another great movie from this time period is Silkwood. This drama is based on the true story of Karen Silkwood (Meryl Streep), who works at a nuclear facility, along with her boyfriend, Drew Stephens (Kurt Russell), and their roommate, Dolly Pelliker (Cher). When Karen becomes concerned about safety practices at the plant, she begins raising awareness of violations that could put workers at risk. Intent on continuing her investigation, Karen discovers a suspicious development: She has been exposed to high levels of radiation.
Load More Replies... Laura Lett 1 year ago
Diary of a Mad Black Woman. When she almost let the sob drown, I felt that,hard. Especially, after what he put her through.
sofacushionfort 1 year ago
Beatrice Straight took the Oscar in 1976 for “Network:” less than five minutes of screen time, with a speech about how she as a wife could be dumped and her life upended just because her husband as experiencing a bout of mid-life self-pity
Chewie Baron 1 year ago
There’s a few scenes of female rage in Titanic that still hold up well. Especially when you consider how it was for women back then. Which was abysmal.
Nikki Sevven 1 year ago
Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich. Meryl Streep in Silkwood. Sissy Spacek in Carrie. Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. Diane Lane in Lady Beware. Simone Signoret in Diabolique. Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton in 9 to 5. Fairuza Balk in The Craft.
Leo Domitrix 1 year ago
Oh, I forgot 9 to 5. Their revenge scenarios were awesome.
Load More Replies... Mama Penguin 1 year ago
Rose's monologue in Fences when Rose (Viola Davis) finally stands up for herself against her husband Troy (Denzel Washington) after years of keeping her composure, staying loyal and devoted to her husband and son. Her anger, pain, and frustration that she kept to herself for so long were being poured out in a heart wrenching two minute monologue.
Queen Joe Jetpack 1 year ago
Hermione in Harry Potter!! The flying birds, calling Ron an A***, yelling at Harry that she’s not an owl! I could go on for ages
Queen Joe Jetpack 1 year ago
Also Ellie from Jurassic Park, she kicks butt
Load More Replies... William Teach 1 year ago
The Cleansing. Nice bit of medieval "witch". By the end you're wondering if there if everyone is a bad guy/woman
mSpencer 1 year ago
The scene in Natural Born Killers when Mallory got her revenge on her parents always brings me to applause! Also, I think May belongs here because how angry she was about being rejected by someone. And I think it's really important that Carrie needs to be higher up on this list.
Duckie Measles 1 year ago
Not a movie, but The Power TV series (on Prime Video) is a good example of rage.
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