The 2004 Wayans brothers' film is surprisingly charming and worth a second glance.
I turned my attention this week to a 2004 comedy called White Chicks. I was excited to see that the Wayans brothers were behind the film. They have showcased many times before, both in movies and in their '90s sitcom, that they know what it takes for comedy to resonate with many people on different levels.
The movie focuses on two FBI agents who, after completely failing their last mission, are tasked with escorting two heiresses safely to their hotel in the Hamptons because it is suspected that someone will attempt to kidnap them during their stay. The escort car crashes, leaving the socialites, Tiffany and Brittany Wilson, with minor facial injuries. They refuse to go to the Hamptons leaving Marcus and Kevin to come up with their own solution for the issue. Using high-tech makeup and prosthetic parts, they disguise themselves as the Wilsons and try to solve one of the FBI’s most important cases while pretending to be people they aren’t.
When it was initially released, this movie made serious money at the box office but completely failed with critics. I have to say that I sincerely disagree with the bogus ratings that critics have given the movie. Yes, the characters do lack personality. Yes, the makeup used on the protagonists is not believable by any means. Yes, the homophobic, transphobic and xenophobic slurs that get thrown around are distasteful. But the movie did not try to make itself out to be some state-of-the-art, revolutionary blockbuster. It's obvious the entire joke of the movie is that two black cops are pretending to be white socialites. Plus, the chemistry of the characters, the subtle running gags and the non-conventional plot made me more forgiving about the negative parts of the film.
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I don’t think I would describe the people in this movie as “white chicks” as much as I would describe them as “privileged upper-class people with questionable motives,” but I guess that title is not as catchy. And yet, despite its obvious inaccuracies, I keep coming back to this movie time and time again.
I’m not sure what draws me to the movie so much. Maybe it’s the subtle truths scattered all throughout the film. And, yes, I agree completely that though all stereotypes (including UGG-boot-wearing, latte-holding, selfie-taking white girl stereotypes) are bad, I couldn’t help but laugh at how much some of the scenes in the movie resonated with me.
One scene in particular stood out: when Kevin and Marcus, dressed up as the Wilson sisters, are in a car with their counterpart best friends and “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton comes on. All of the girls in the car are singing along, dancing and drumming out the beat of the song, while Kevin and Marcus are completely dumbfounded because they never have heard it before. It is little bits like that — the parts that are seated in some kind of truth — that make me laugh and keep me coming back for more.
The ability to laugh at oneself, I think, is one of the most brilliant abilities a person can have. It shows both humility and intelligence. I know I've had plenty of times when I’ve felt like I couldn’t wear something because “Tina the Talking Tummy” made me feel like I couldn’t. I’ve also spent many sleepovers gossiping with my friends about boys and people I didn’t like. It felt refreshing to see those things looked at in a comical light. Be sure to give the movie a shot if you haven’t already.
I enjoyed the plot of the movie so much that I was able to look past its flaws. I can’t even bring myself to call it a guilty pleasure. I unironically would watch the movie again and again, whether I was alone or with friends.
Kaitlyn McGarvey is a freshman studying journalism. Have you seen White Chicks? Email her at km451814@ohio.edu or tweet @McGarveyKaitlyn.
