Bechdel Test Movie List

/bech·del test/ n.
1. It has to have at least two [named] women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man

[[3]] Insidious (2010) [imdb]

This movie passed 3 of 3 tests. It was entered by fridaybarnes on 2011-05-09 07:44:07.

Reviews

Comments

fridaybarnes said:
The movie contains a mother, mother-in-law and a female paranormal specialist with significant parts to play.
Message posted on 2011-05-09 07:44:07
Michelle disagreed with the rating and said:
I disagree with fridaybarnes' conclusion. While those three do talk to each other, everything they say to each other is under the context of the unconscious boy. The mother in-law's conversation with the mother about her seeing things is directly because of the boy. The paranormal specialist is only involved because of the boy. Every interaction between these women somewhere along the line involves a male, therefore it does not pass #3.
Message posted on 2011-07-21 10:22:35
sarah said:
It does pass the test, the mother talks to her mother in law about moving out of the house and speaks several times to the paranormal specialist. She only speaks about the boy to the nurse, but it definitely passes.
Message posted on 2011-07-28 04:48:56
Kenna said:
I disagree, Michelle. The females in this movie are talking about a child. Yes, they are talking about a male, but they are discussing a child nonetheless. There is no discussion of any male in a romantic sense.
Message posted on 2011-12-27 20:22:47
shakeyjake disagreed with the rating and said:
At the end, the old woman has possession of the father and talks to the paranormal specialist. She has a man's body, but is a female character.
Message posted on 2013-01-08 21:18:59
MarieL said:
The scene with the nurse is not a pass because the nurse does not have a name.

The scene where they talk about Dalton is not a pass because Dalton is a boy. Why would it matter if the subject is a child, or a love interest? Completely irrelevant. The test is simply: the subject of the conversation to be about something other than a male. What, do we make exemptions for the Bechdel test where lesbian characters can have all their conversations about men, and it's still a pass because they are not attracted to them? No.

And why would anyone consider having "female characters with significant parts to play" as sufficient basis for passing the test? That says absolutely, absolutely nothing about whether they interact with one another. Avengers had Natasha and Maria, does that make it an automatic pass? There is no interaction between them at all.

However, this movie does pass at least because of a conversation between Renai and Lorraine. Both are female, both have names, and the conversation is about Renai's moving houses. The conversation goes

Renai: I can't believe we're doing all this again, that's what I can't believe. (In reference to moving houses) I know you think I'm crazy.

Lorraine: Nobody - not me, not anybody- knows what you're going through right now. Whatever you have to do to get through it, do it. And never apologize for it.

This is a scene when they are unpacking some books.
Message posted on 2013-02-23 01:07:39

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