female strength is embodied in Meridith Johnson, played reviews Disclosure by Demi Moore.
Johnson is assertive. She Cert. 18, 128 mins. knows what she wants. She's risen high in her career and is given the job that Saunders IN THE 1980s, Barry expected to drop into his lap. Levinson's Toys gave us a Sounds good, doesn't she? view of the world which Unfortunately, this film said that if people could tells us that such characteristics in women combine only join together in action, any ruthless dictator to make a monstrous creature who manipulates the weak, could be overcome. but essentially good, SaunIn the 1990s Levinson has ders into her pants and into a left behind such childish real mess at work. things with a vengeance to Meridith's assertiveness is create Disclosure. equated with aggression and This film is a nasty 'femigeneral unpleasantness. nist backlash' bonanza, with a rousing endorsement given a still of it is plastered all over canen inere sine sex scene. to all the most reactionary at- billboards. Meridith makes titudes towards women in the the first and second moves on home and at work that come Saunders and, true, he jabalongside the belief that some sort of equality has been achieved The film opens panning around Tom Saunders' beautiful house. Distant voices herald a type of ideal domesticity which is shaken during the film. Michael Douglas plays Saunders, a good family man who makes himself late for work by helping his wife, Susan, with the kids.
It's clear that Susan (Caroline Goodall) could go back to her full-time law career anytime she liked, but she prepares to look after her home and children out of the sunniness of her heart.
This film makes no secret of the fact that this is how a woman should behave. Female strength should be channelled into making such bers 'no' repeatedly. But a choice with a smile on your halfway through their comface. The alternative use of Wing together the tables are of London and the financial turned and Saunders jumps on Johnson. His anger, over her ignoring his asking her to Caroline Goodall and Michael Douglas play Hollywood's ideal family stop, comes out in an even more aggressive sexual display than she had mustered up. control of those institutions Head and shoulders above the men: Demi Moore in the film adaption of Michael Crichton's novel Later, that is glossed over - but crucial to understanding this film is recalling that it is about men reclaiming power over women and restoring the status quo they are used to. of its welfare-state capitalist Saunders will not agree to sex with Johnson, despite all her strenuous efforts, until he is on top and calling the shots. Then, he very nearly goes through with it.
Passive
Saunders wins a sexual harassment charge against her with the help of several more supportive and passive women. There's Susan, and there's Cindy, who helps him to understand how close he has come to sexual harassment himself when he patted her on the bottom. Finally there's Catherine Alvarez, but it is Saunders, not her, who uncovers all the evidence.
It becomes clearer that Johnson is trying to make Saunders a scapegoat for the company's difficulty in clinching an important merger. We are encouraged to be ecstatic when he exposes her as responsible for is the system itself, not its the glitch in the company's hardware production.
Predictably, Meridith Johnson is sacked and replaced by a supportive and passive woman, a sender of secret messages which helped Saunders bring down Johnson.
This is how the film wants women to behave at work and in life. They should quitely and calmly support men. That way, they will be granted responsibility.
The only alternative is to be some kind of comic strip villainess, so truly loathsome she has to be crushed.
There is no room for a female rising star who can succeed through her work, talents and initiative. The possibility of such a creature does not ever arise.
Disclosure looks slick and shiny, but it's actually a very grubby and nasty business. There are far better ways to spend your time. ish Clause four. Hutton's