Teen Portrayal in Movies, Essay Example

When many think about the stereotypical portrayal of teens in movies they may envision jocks and blonds alike. Typically, the blonds are mean and famous, the jocks are bullies and are dumb. However, these stereotypes put many into boxes they don’t fit in and are not an accurate portrayal of high school or teenagers at all. One example of this is the movie Mean Girls, which revolves around a clique of girls known as the Plastics. The central leader of the group is Regina George who is skinny, blond, and mean. Her two boyfriends are both sporty, one plays soccer, and the other is on the football team. Neither are smart in the movie either. Denis Desby’s article on High- School Confidential: Notes on Teen Movies forms the basis of discussion for the above-stated topic. He states, “It’s a place where feelings of victimization join fantasy, and you experience the social elites as so powerful that you must either become or kill them” (David 96). These are some of the statements in the text this text which encourages sexualism among teens in the text. For instance, coach Carr says, “Don’t have sex. You will get pregnant and die. Don’t have sex in the missionary position, don’t have sex standing up…. don’t do it. Promise?” and Janis is quoted telling someone that “you smell like a baby prostitute” (David 95). The statements above show the role of teen movies’ stereotypes in portraying relevant romantic relationships.

Many have this perception before entering high school that it is full of cliques, mean blond girls, and dumb jocks. It is all because of the stereotypes that movies like Mean Girls, She’s The Man, The Breakfast Club, etc. showcase. Every cinema tries to stereotype what each type of group consists of, even though this isn’t the case. For example, in my experience, the favorite girls typically aren’t mean. In fact, many of them are very helpful and are famous and very lovely. However, they do have some of the stereotypical features like “being blond, and skinny” (Elizabeth and Mastro 131). Thus, many who watch these movies before entering high school will have a false perception of what it is actually like and will expect something that won’t happen to them.

The American high school in teen movies is nothing like the high schools portrayed in many different films. Many of these videos revolve around the typical mean girl. “The mean girl dates the jock who usually is stupid, and she is self-absorbed” (Elizabeth and Mastro 131). Everyone hates her yet they want her to like and admire them at the same time. It is a strange struggle for balance and power within the high school territory. However, the movies that portray these girls are missing essential elements and are just catering to a brand image at this point. “If films deviate from these stereotypes, then they aren’t adhering to what their audience wants to see” (David 96). These movies are selling for some reason because high school students, adults, etc. love to watch them and view their stereotypical nature. What is the most interesting about these movies is how much they vary from not only high school but college as well. “In high school, no one cares what you look like or dress like because they are worried about paying off student loans, getting good grades, and dating” (David 97). The same is true for high school minus the student loans. In high school, at least at the one I attended, no one cared what you looked like or was judging you. They were too wrapped up in their personal lives to care too much about others.

Considering that college and high school students alike don’t adhere to the stereotypes these movies put forth, it is interesting to find why they still create these stereotypes. One reason was mentioned prior which is the brand image. Movie studios don’t want to vary from this stereotypical norm because it makes them money and people think its funny.For example, in the Mean Girl Movie, female characters are “socially aggressive” while their male counterparts are “physically aggressive” (Elizabeth and Mastro 151). It is a practical marketing strategy for the film studios because people are naturally sympathetic to those that are bullied and want to take the bullies down. Thus, this is why this false stereotype of favorite girls and jocks continues to work.

Based on these stereotypes we see of high school students in these movies, we know that these and other genres are not entirely accurate. For example, teen movies are not the only misrepresented ones. Action movies are also incredibly unrealistic, as well as horror movies. “Many of the events that occur, such as jumping off of buildings, climbing walls, and becoming a superhero just aren’t realistic” (Kossoy 88). However, because these stereotypes and actions have been represented so much in society in our movies, many think they are. The same applies to the portrayal of high school students in films. These stereotypes are just conventions that have existed for decades that are included in every genre to appeal to the audience. Movie studios have conditioned their audience to expect these stereotypes so they may even be disappointed when they don’t show up in the movie. High school movies show these stereotypes in conjunction with the mixed up emotions that are typically present. We see this in Mean Girls where Katy struggles with going between the “Plastics” and get regular friend crew (Elizabeth and Mastro 161).

Overall, movies which showcase high school and teens, in general, are stereotyping teenagers and are not accurate. Movie studios are merely using favorite marketing techniques and creating a convention to latch onto that they know works for them. People love to watch these movies because they are a regular part of the genre, just like fights are usual in action movies. In teen movies drama between “favorite girls,” “geeky girls,” and “jocks” are seemingly imminent considering this is what form most of their focus (Elizabeth and Mastro 131). Genres are not accurate in representing the actual aspects of the type, but instead stereotype different figures, actions, and people to market the movie in that kind to the audience effectively. Ultimately, styles are stereotypical and are not representative of what they are portraying.

Works Cited

Denby, David. “High school confidential: Notes on teen movies.” New Yorker (1999): 94-98.

Behm-Morawitz, Elizabeth and Dana E. Mastro. “Mean Girls?  Teen Movies on Emerging Adults’ Gender-Based Beliefs and Attitudes and Influence of Gender Portrayals.” Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, vol. 85, no. 1, Spring2008, pp. 131-146. EBSCOhost, athena.rider.edu:6443/login?url=https://athena.rider.edu:2589/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ahl&AN=32869757&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Kossoy, Katherine. “Teenage Movies and Finding the Meaning of Life.” Film Matters, vol. 6, no. 3, Winter2015, pp. 87-91. EBSCOhost, athena.rider.edu:6443/login?url=https://athena.rider.edu:2589/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f3h&AN=114546773&site=ehost-live&scope=site.