The Year I Started Masturbating

My wife picked this movie, and we enjoyed it for the most part. It's a comedy, but it's not hilarious funny. It has a few good cringe moments. The main character is believable and likeable. In general, I believe this movie was made for women, which is a bit unfortunate. The male characters are weak, whiny, and manipulative. Apparently, men are the single biggest problem in women's life. This message becomes painfully obvious in the last few minutes of the movie. This is a rather silly point of view, but it wouldn't have bothered me much, if they didn't push it so hard at the very end. If "the message" doesn't bother you, and you enjoy cringe comedy, then I would give it a shot.

The film begins on a promising note, offering some genuinely humorous moments. However, as it progresses, it becomes increasingly predictable, relying on repetitive humor scenarios in which the central character, Hanna, finds herself in embarrassing situations.

One of the central questions raised by the film is its underlying message. Initially, Hanna is depicted as a character with significant flaws - she neglects her family's needs, makes major financial decisions unilaterally, and appears emotionally distant. Towards the film's conclusion, she declares that she won't change who she is, and others should accept her for it.

This choice is somewhat perplexing, as it misses an opportunity for a more intriguing reversal of stereotypes, where a female character could be portrayed as a workaholic instead of the traditional male figure. Moreover, it departs from the common theme found in many films that emphasize the importance of family. In this case, the movie conveys a somewhat contradictory message, suggesting that individual desires should take precedence, and others should unquestioningly accept one's behavior. This message strikes an unusual and somewhat perplexing chord, at least in my interpretation.

This movie is an excellent example that you shoudn't always care about other people's rates and reviews. It's funny, sometimes close to over the top, but it balances quite good. The story is about that it's not always easy to maintain a good balance between being ambitious in your job, having a good loving relationship and raising a child together, and at times you can fail in all three of them. Yet when you hit rock bottom, you can have new encounters that open you up for new perspectives and dealing with life. Sometimes life is dealing with the lows and keep trying your best. If you can relate to this you probably like this movie better. I watched it with my wife and it made us laugh and relax.

Ultimately, the film is a slow downward spiral until the third act's climax and tone shift. For what it lacks in originality, and the stereotypical tropes of female empowerment and middle age crisis it repetitively falls into, it makes up for with some lighthearted humor. I would caution to say it's an interesting character study, as much of the narrative is too predictable. This film is perhaps slightly more polished and mature than your typical Romcom is, though likely just as satiable for that target audience. There is little to like in this movie, which is why I would recommend to skip it.

This is your typical "Chick Flick", feminist, female empowerment movie, targeted to a very specific audience. The plot is all over the place, with dialog that is very explicit, and orgasmic scenes that appear to also in that vein. The ultimate result is boredom. The outcome is a predictable one, after the usual journey of self discovery and renaissance. The lead character comes out the other end as an strong independent female, one who has rediscovered her new power and new self. It will probably resonate well with its target audience, but certainly would not have wide audience appeal. The humor works at time, especially if one is familiar with that country's culture!