British film essay

How has an ideological critical approach given you a deeper understanding of binary opposites in the narrative of your chosen film?

The ideological approach, of feminism is presented in we need to talk about Kevin; also in Fish tank. we gain a deeper insight into this, through the understanding of binary oppositions. Presented through the narratives in the films.

This idea is presented in We need to talk about Kevin. In the scene in which we see Eva playing with Kevin they both resent different emotions qualities. We see Eva presenting emotion trying to connect with Kevin; but in opposition to that we see Kevin being closed an emotionless. Showing no emotion on his face, we see the both through over the shoulder shots then a medium shot to show the both of them staring at each other. this presents them both as binary opposites as Eva is wearing brighter clothes and is large in comparison to Kevin who is wearing dark blue and is very small. their postures are different, Kevin is relaxed whereas Eva looks tense. The spectator would see this as Eva being a bad parent as she loses patients quickly and then gets angry and aggressive. By presenting them in this way Ramsay makes Eva look as though she is wrong and leading the spectator to show empathy towards Kevin. However the underlying critical approach of feminism would blame society, for forcing Eva to marry and be a stay at home mum. this would be the reason why she is shut of and fails to raise Kevin in a positive way this would make Franklin seem as though he is wrong for 'forcing' her into having Kevin and leaving her career to be a full time parent while he can still pursue his career.

Another scene in which we see Kevin and Eva in the kitchen making for together.In this scene Kevin and Eva are standing with their backs together. In this scene they both look very similar and are doing actions that almost mirror each other, however within this physical similarities they both still seem to be shut off and cold towards each other. Eva is wearing a purple top, whereas Kevin is wearing blue and red. These two oppose each other as Eva is dressed as though she is older and Kevin is dressed as though he is young. By doing this we see however similar they are as people there is always something in the way of that connection we see starting to form but it is never fully nurtured to grow leading to these opposition. The Oedipal trajectory Is seen as Kevin and Eva having the binary opposition of their sex. Kevin is a male and Eva is female. Therefore they have that difference and they feel that need to be connected as they are not fully the same. the use of contrapuntal sound helps to form this confusion of they look so similar but are opposites. This idea is presented in the Oedipal trajectory as the baby boy will see its different genitals and try to connect with the mother sexually as it is trying to connect with her through the differences they possess. The spectator will see the physical similarities then start to question what is opposing between them forcing them to look deeper into the emotional similarities they posses and how that leads the to clash as they both go different routes. the ideological critical approach would see how similar Eva and Kevin are but because she is female and forced to conform to society's standards this does not allow her freedom however because Kevin is male this allows him to be free to do as he wishes leading to him to murder people as nothing was expected of him in society so he had the free will whereas Eva was forced to give up everything she liked and loose her freedom in order to mother Kevin.

The idea of binary oppositions is presented in fish tank in the scene in which Mia and Conor have sex in this scene they are both presented as opposites. Mia is young and female as she is wearing pink pyjamas and Conor is presented as an older male as he is wearing jeans and a grey top. The low lighting  makes the scene feel very intimate and close as we see the relationship between Mia and Conor and understand it. This scene shows Conor to be a powerful dominating male with experience and Mia is seen to be juvenile and powerless this is a representation of the Oedipal trajectory as Mia lacks the father figure in her life so Conor is that but she also feels the sexual nature of the relationship as she is competing with her mother for his affection. She also feels penis envoy as she lacks the male figure in her life leading her to feel powerless. The spectator sees the scene as a prominent scene in the film as this paints the image of how each character is. the spectator will feel taken back or even discussed by the scene as Mia is only 15 and he is a middle aged man. But by not sexualising the scene and focusing on the hands and feet it gives back that father figure feeling as there is no focus on the sexual nature more on the caring nature of him holding her as a male figure of power where as she Is powerless he an be seen as protecting her. The feminist ideological approach would see this as Mia being a passive figure while Conor fulfils his sexual desire on her and by not accepting it and not rejecting him she is therefore conforming to society becoming just another object to a male.

one of the inciting incidents in the set up stage of act one is the scene in which Conor puts Mia to bed. This is a key scene in the film as it demonstrates the main themes of feminism and clearly shows the binary opposition of Conor as a father figure but also a sexual partner. The use of the binary oppositions of Conor to Mia is portrayed through the camerawork. An example of this is throughout the scene the camera focuses on Mia's hands and feet, foreshadowing the sex scene later in the film. Mia is a passive object in this scene, not only emotionally but physically. She is also passive as she has nowhere else to go, is stuck in the cycle of poverty as will here children be. The spectators response is that they are struggling as to wether this scene is fatherly of sexual as is presents both these ideas. She is passive as she has no way out of that especially as she is a woman. where as Conor can easily escape this as he is a male. But also because he is financially stable which is another reason why Mia would have to submit to him so that she can keep getting money from him, as her mother is unable this is also presenting Conor as a father figure. But also how how he is in control as he holds the majority of money which Femenists would look at and see as abusing his economic status to gain dominance over females. 

In conclusion Feminism is present in both We need to talk about Kevin and in Fish tank it helps give a deeper understanding of the binary opposites such as Eva and Kevin, and in Mia and Conor in the narrative of the films.