Kein Mann für leichte Stunden

I've never written or rated a movie, but felt that the average rating on IMDb did the movie a great injustice that I had to write this.

It's a real shame that the majority of those who rated it poorly failed to see the point of the film. The film focuses on exaggerating every single character and detail, from the chauvnistic male lead, to the 180° world reversal. Though neither world is necessarily one that we currently live in, most men fail to see their own behaviour or sense of entitlement until it's exaggerated in the form of a film like this. Even then, so many men come in here, angrily ranting this is not their nature. If you're not, great, good for you. But the truth is, just like the issue of being born into a certain "superior" race, those living a privileged life fail to realize just how good they have it! The same holds true for gender privilege.

Damien is the epitome of chauvinistic men. I, as a woman who looks/dresses a certain type of way, deal with this on a daily basis. This movie is meant to give men a taste of their own medicine. The exaggerations, such as women dressing in suits/driving loud sports cars, are spot on. A lot of reviewers have rated the movie negatively because of this. They fail to see that these acts have been oversimplified, because how can we possibly begin to address things like job inequality, women in executive positions etc, when we still live in a world where men can catcall women on a daily basis, and we just "deal with it".

Whatever mindset you're coming from, give this movie a watch. It's very eye-opening, from both a male and female presepective (watched this with a male friend myself). It made me realize how I've adjusted my own way of life, in a sense, to deal with certain situations I come across on a daily basis!

Damien is a male chauvinist pig of the first order - boorish, inconsiderate, all the trimmings... So it's no great surprise that Alexandra, his author friend's PR assistant has no time for Damien at all. Then after a bang on the head, Damien finds himself in a world where everyone's roles are subtly changed and the women wear the trousers. In this world, Alexandra is the famous author and she picks out Damien whose weird views she thinks might make a useful subject for her next book.

At each turn, the film begs the question, if the tables were turned, would the people respond in this or that way? The gender roles they depict are sometimes a bit extreme and the focus on the one topic is at times a bit relentless, but it does make you think. The tone of the piece is light and though it might be meant as a comedy, it's not laugh-out-loud funny.

The film is dubbed into English (from the original Parisian setting) which is a pity, but it has been done quite well so you soon stop noticing. Vincent Elbaz and particularly Marie-Sophie Ferndale put in strong performances in the lead parts and carry the film despite its weaknesses.

This film came up on Netflix and I started watching not knowing it was only released today. It deals with the current issues between the genders in a comic but interesting way. Set in Paris (always a good start for a movie) Damien is a single man used to the entilements of a patriarchal society. After being rejected by Alexi a bang to his head takes him into a parallel world where women are the entitlemented gender. Damien finds it differicult to adjust to his new environment. In this world Alexi is a powerful author who sees potential in Damien's story. I enjoyed this movie and it's premise. The characters of the leads are strong in both worlds, but being a strong woman in a man's world is different to being a strong woman in a woman's world.

I can see all the unfairness and ridiculousness of being a woman. And it's ugly! It seems natural; but, it had to take a gender role-reverse to see how bad it really is, and how strong women are- going through all the social expectations and s**t. All in a funny way though. I love it. It made me look deep into myself. Great movie!

Honestly, this movie was thought-provoking all the way around, but I've never seen a movie with such an unsatisfactory ending. Honestly, it ruined the movie for me, way too abrupt.