Movies that do not pass the reverse Bechdel Test

Submitted by karliboyy t3_z8lud3 in movies

So yesterday I got to watch "All about my Mother" by Pedro Almodóvar at the cinema and kinda fell in love with it. After thinking about it, I realized that it probably wouldn't pass a reverse Bechdel Test. Because I am a Letterboxd Nerd and love listing things, I would like to make a list of movies that do the same thing.

For the ones who forgot or don't know, a movie only passes the Bechdel Test if it meets the following requirements:

  • The movie has to have at least two women in it
  • who talk to each other
  • about something other than a man

So again, what I am looking for are movies that DO NOT pass a reverse Bechdel Test. Thus, a movie which meets the following requirements:

  • The movie DOES NOT have at least two men in it
  • If it does have two men, they do NOT talk to each other
  • If they do talk to each other, it's ONLY about women

Thank you to everyone in advance :)

EDIT: Extra points for movies that are enjoyable ^^

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superpervert t1_iyc5shr wrote

Thelma and Louise And I think Steel Magnolias Probably lots of similar films like The Joy Luck Club.

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jaltsukoltsu t1_iyc6nsp wrote

Is there a movie that does pass it?

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karliboyy OP t1_iyc704m wrote

Replying to jaltsukoltsu (#798,327)

Yeah as I said I believe "All about my mother" does match the criteria. Is got a couple of male roles, like the son 3 doctors the theater director and actor and the father but they never talk to each other I think.

And I havent seen the movies u/superpervert talked about but they might pass it to :)

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mothershipq t1_iyc72xo wrote

Ocean's Eight, and Hocus Pocus?

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RyzenRaider t1_iyc7cs7 wrote

Everything Everywhere All at Once might fail it. Most of the characters only talk to Evelyn or Joy, so most male interactions don't pass the 2nd point. There's a dirty laundromat customer that talks about his wife's perfume. Waymond talks to Joy and Evelyn, but I don't think he exchanges dialogue (meaning each says something to the other in a conversation) with Gong Gong.

The other jumpers don't talk to each other either either. I might be missing a small moment, but I don't think the movie passes.

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ManInBlack829 t1_iycbueh wrote

I would venture a few of the Hallmark Christmas movies do this.

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Nacknack26 t1_iycc0k3 wrote

The woman (2008) doesn't pass the test, but the movie isn't really good. Man still have a prominent role in the plot and control the woman's life without being on screen. They about man a a lot. But it passes regular bechdel test and doesn't pass the reverse bechdel test.

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Nakajin13 t1_iycf2vv wrote

On the top of my head the last two Sciamma would pass it I think (Little Mother, Portait of a Lady on fire). Not sure about the one before that (Girlhood), but if it dosen't it's as close as you can get.

After Love of Aleem Khan would pass it too, altough most conversations are about men, it just has a single male side character.

Great movie in each case.

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RyzenRaider t1_iycf48m wrote

Replying to karliboyy (#798,582)

It's a quirk of the Bechdel test. Great movies, even feminist films can fail the test. It's more a measure of the industry over time, and how much variety and depth exists within female roles.

I believe Aliens and T2 - both classic feminist films - fail the test. Aliens is debatable, based on how you define the dialog requirement (Ripley talks to the marines about aliens, Vasquez says she just needs to know where they are, but Ripley doesn't really respond to this. So Ripley was talking to the group and didn't reciprocate Vasquez). Newt doesn't count because she's considered a child rather than a woman).

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karliboyy OP t1_iycg9ca wrote

Replying to RyzenRaider (#800,390)

Thanks again :) I dont believe any of the named criterias will lead to good or bad movies. I just think its an interesting thought experiment and as you said sometimes a good measure of variety and depth female roles in movies.

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Ganglebot t1_iycqrqd wrote

I'm pretty sure most of those women-in-prison movies, like Chained Heat, wouldn't pass this test.

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Waste-Replacement232 t1_iycx7qr wrote

What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? There’s a scene in the second prologue with two men taking but only about Blanche and Jane’s careers.

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DoopSlayer t1_iyd0vyg wrote

The Sweetest Things I think fails both Bechdel and reverse Bechdel test which is quite the accomplishment

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tregorman t1_iyd8hym wrote

Portrait of a lady on fire

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thedudeisalwayshere t1_iyd8w3m wrote

The Descent doesn't pass the reverse Bechdel Test.

There's only one man in it very briefly at the start. Other than that it's just woman.

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LonePirate t1_iyde22y wrote

The two Sex and the City movies probably qualify but it has been several years since I have seen either one. The first one is far more enjoyable than the second one.

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RagingAcid t1_iye0zxz wrote

Does taken technically pass?

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karliboyy OP t1_iyemlym wrote

Replying to RagingAcid (#820,534)

Okay just started watching it and it fails the criteria within the second scene where he buys the gift ^^ maybe we had a miscommunication. I am looking for movies that don’t pass a reversed test

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karliboyy OP t1_iyeore9 wrote

Replying to RagingAcid (#826,125)

Yeah but he’s not really saying that to the man. And when he takes the security job. He also talked a lot with his friends. Also about is daughter and the singer but not only. I’ll keep watching tho :D

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karliboyy OP t1_iyetd03 wrote

Replying to RagingAcid (#826,635)

Okay definitely not matching the criteria. Obviously the bigger cause is always the daughter but lots of talking about between men. But thanks tho 🙏 you gave me a pleasant movie night

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yallscrazy t1_iyf1eqr wrote

Most Shakespeare plays, those damn Renaissance Europeans and their matriarchy!!!

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JugendWolf t1_iyf9yln wrote

Replying to karliboyy (#799,748)

The 2008 version is based on a stage play from 1936 and is actually the second adaptation. The 1939 original by George Cukor is VERY enjoyable. Over 130 female speaking roles, not one man.

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Novel-Various t1_iyfc1y1 wrote

I think Resurrection (2022) and Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) might fit the criteria. I can't remember if any men talk to each other in them. Also I don't get why you're being downvoted, this is a fun prompt I hadn't considered before!

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