Butch Jamie
Encyclopedia
Butch Jamie is a gender-bending comedy film that premiered in July 2007 at Outfest
: the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Writer, director, and lead actress Michelle Ehlen
won Outfest's Grand Jury Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film." The film was produced independently through the filmmaker's production company, Ballet Diesel Films.
lesbian
actress who gets cast as a man in a film. The main plot is a romantic comedy between Jamie's male alter-ego, "Male Jamie," and Jill, a heterosexual woman on set. The film's subplot
s include Jamie's bisexual roommate Lola and her cat actor Howard, Lola's abrasive butch
German girlfriend Andi, and Jamie's gay
Asian friend David.
humor through slapstick
, irony
, and satire
. The film incorporates elements of slapstick physical comedy along with the irony
of Jamie entering into a "heterosexual" relationship with an unknowing woman. As a satire
, the film pokes fun at gender roles, social assumptions, stereotypes, and the politics of relationships
.
In addition to gender roles and stereotypes, the film also satirizes the movie industry. This is reflected not only through Jamie's adventures, but also through Howard, the cat actor who Jamie has projected her competitive drive onto. Howard's owner, Lola, takes the cat's career very seriously, complete with professional head shots and a demo reel.
, the fact that it highlights a butch
actress marks it as unique. Jamie's stereotypical butch masculinity
, sarcasm
, and cockiness are rarely seen in such prominence in female actors on-screen. Unlike Dustin Hoffman
in Tootsie
, Jamie's career problems are not the result of a character flaw
, but from a flaw in the way women are chosen to be represented.
is developing a sequel
called Heterosexual Jill. While Butch Jamie is a satire
on gender
, Ehlen proposes to have the sequel be a satire on sexuality
.
Outfest
Outfest is an LGBT-oriented film showcase and festival in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1982 as the "Gay and Lesbian Media Festival and Conference", the name was changed to Outfest in 1994.-Programs:...
: the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Writer, director, and lead actress Michelle Ehlen
Michelle Ehlen
Michelle Ehlen is a filmmaker and actress best known for her comedic feature Butch Jamie.-Career:Michelle is a graduate of The Los Angeles Film School where she studied writing and directing. She wrote, directed, and acted in the short film Half Laughing which broadcast on Logo and is on The...
won Outfest's Grand Jury Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film." The film was produced independently through the filmmaker's production company, Ballet Diesel Films.
Plot
The film follows the story Jamie, a struggling butchButch and femme
Butch and femme are LGBT terms describing respectively, masculine and feminine traits, behavior, style, expression, self-perception and so on. They are often used in the lesbian, bisexual and gay subcultures...
lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
actress who gets cast as a man in a film. The main plot is a romantic comedy between Jamie's male alter-ego, "Male Jamie," and Jill, a heterosexual woman on set. The film's subplot
Subplot
A subplot is a secondary plot strand that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance...
s include Jamie's bisexual roommate Lola and her cat actor Howard, Lola's abrasive butch
Butch and femme
Butch and femme are LGBT terms describing respectively, masculine and feminine traits, behavior, style, expression, self-perception and so on. They are often used in the lesbian, bisexual and gay subcultures...
German girlfriend Andi, and Jamie's gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
Asian friend David.
Comedic elements
Butch Jamie utilizes deadpanDeadpan
Deadpan is a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented without a change in emotion or body language, usually speaking in a casual, monotone, solemn, blunt, disgusted or matter-of-fact voice and expressing an unflappably calm, archly insincere or artificially grave demeanor...
humor through slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
, irony
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
, and satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
. The film incorporates elements of slapstick physical comedy along with the irony
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
of Jamie entering into a "heterosexual" relationship with an unknowing woman. As a satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
, the film pokes fun at gender roles, social assumptions, stereotypes, and the politics of relationships
Interpersonal relationship
An interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on limerence, love, solidarity, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships are formed in the...
.
In addition to gender roles and stereotypes, the film also satirizes the movie industry. This is reflected not only through Jamie's adventures, but also through Howard, the cat actor who Jamie has projected her competitive drive onto. Howard's owner, Lola, takes the cat's career very seriously, complete with professional head shots and a demo reel.
Representation of butch women onscreen
While it's common to see comedies where men pose as women, female to male comedies are much less prominent. While the film is said to be a lesbian version of TootsieTootsie
Tootsie is a 1982 American comedy film that tells the story of a talented but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult forces him to go to extreme lengths to land a job. The movie stars Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, with a supporting cast that includes Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman,...
, the fact that it highlights a butch
Butch and femme
Butch and femme are LGBT terms describing respectively, masculine and feminine traits, behavior, style, expression, self-perception and so on. They are often used in the lesbian, bisexual and gay subcultures...
actress marks it as unique. Jamie's stereotypical butch masculinity
Masculinity
Masculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
, sarcasm
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.” Though irony and understatement is usually the immediate context, most authorities distinguish sarcasm from irony; however, others argue that sarcasm may or often does involve irony or employs...
, and cockiness are rarely seen in such prominence in female actors on-screen. Unlike Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
in Tootsie
Tootsie
Tootsie is a 1982 American comedy film that tells the story of a talented but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult forces him to go to extreme lengths to land a job. The movie stars Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, with a supporting cast that includes Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman,...
, Jamie's career problems are not the result of a character flaw
Character flaw
In the creation and criticism of fictional works, a character flaw is a limitation, imperfection, problem, phobia, or deficiency present in a character who may be otherwise very functional. The flaw can be a problem that directly affects the character's actions and abilities, such as a violent temper...
, but from a flaw in the way women are chosen to be represented.
Sequel
Writer/director/actor Michelle EhlenMichelle Ehlen
Michelle Ehlen is a filmmaker and actress best known for her comedic feature Butch Jamie.-Career:Michelle is a graduate of The Los Angeles Film School where she studied writing and directing. She wrote, directed, and acted in the short film Half Laughing which broadcast on Logo and is on The...
is developing a sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
called Heterosexual Jill. While Butch Jamie is a satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
on gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
, Ehlen proposes to have the sequel be a satire on sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
.
External links
- Butch Jamie Official Site
- Butch Jamie on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Production Company
- Blog Site