Masculinity In The Film 'The Mask You Live In'

To begin, “The Mask You Live in” is a documentary film produced and written by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The film is based on the premises of harmful notions in terms of masculinity in American culture. In other words, it is centered around the question “What does it mean to be a man in America?”. The film beings with a conversation with a former NFL player who explains to us that the phrase “be a man,” is one of the most destructive phrases you could tell a young boy. The movie goes on to review the many of the popular terms that are commonly used today, “don’t be a pussy”, “don’t cry”, “grow some balls”, or “man up”. Consequently, the film is able to provide a front row seat into a topic that is rarely discussed but highly problematic issue of what it means to be a “real” man. The film emphasizes on the point of how damaging this can be to men throughout society. They are forced to fit the norm of what it really means to be a man.
In addition, throughout the movie, we are provided with a great deal of statistics to open our eyes up to the damaging and surprising ways society has shaped men. More specifically, many points are reinforced with relatable television and film clips such as Whiplash. The movie looks at many stereotypes surrounding athletic and financial success; Madeline Levine, a psychologist, states, “I have seen 8-year-old boys who say they want to become venture capitalists”. Overall, “The Mask You Live in” makes a strong case that the diseased root of our terrible culture comes from society and our wiliness to promote outdated and hurtful notions of