User reviews

I just wanted to write a response to the Review floating around from TVGUY that said it was "OK". First off, just because you're showing images of sexualized women, doesn't mean it's going against what the film is for. THEY'RE showing you the exact images that are being consumed by the masses, and THEN backing it up with evidence of how detrimental it is to women and men. If you don't want your girl seeing it in the context of it being negative then that's your prerogative; but at least they aren't glamorizing it... you think your little girl won't see it somewhere else? It's basically PLASTERED in our minds.

This was a great movie... it broke down the stereotypes and misogyny in the industry and really dissects the machine that controls the masses; media. Not only does it focus on Women's oppression, but also on the monopoly that the media has become... it's quite scary how controlling and how much dominance this institution has on the masses and consequently the public realm and government. This is no man hating by any means, they even draw the connections on how men are oppressed because of the oppression of women. EVERYONE should watch this... truly enlightening. If you think misogyny and female oppression is the only thing the Machine pushing and is the only problem going on then you're wrong... Oppression and *** will not be rid of in societies until we begin to hold the media and said institutions accountable. Anything corporations get a hold of turns into complete crap. Start thinking with your own minds, maybe then will you truly live a happy life and provide a safe place for both daughters AND sons.

Some will see Miss Representation as a bunch of hack women complaining about a problem and are not willing to do anything about it. It's an understandable reaction. I've seen so many documentaries that bathe the viewer in paranoia and fear without providing valid solutions or ways that they could fix potential problems. Food, Inc. for example; a well-made, yet somewhat heavy-handed documentary on the exploitation of how our food is made.

Miss Representation's goal is to inform people about the blatant sexism in Television, advertising, society, politics, and film. It does a very nice job at providing each of their subjects with material and substance, also giving them enough time to get their point across. I believe more than eight minutes is devoted to the political aspect, and several more to Television and film. For an eighty-eight minute documentary, it covers a lot of heavy territory, and even, gasp, includes efficient solutions during the end credits.

The interviewees are Geena Davis, Condoleezza Rice, Lisa Ling, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Rosario Dawson, Jim Steyer, Dr. Jackson Katz, and Gloria Steinem, who all comment on the media's insidiously harmful portrayal of women. Comments are made on how advertising has evolved from genial snippets into racy, sexploitation spots begging to be noticed and controversial. It has been proved in the field of advertising that *** sells, and companies race their commercials and magazine advertisements to an invisible finish line to see who can be more daring and provocative.

But what are the consequences for imposing such demeaning pictures of women? For one, there's the obligatory "striving for unsustainable beauty" argument. I don't think there is one person who believes that what they see on the front cover on a tabloid or a magazine has not been digitally altered or photoshopped in some way, shape, or form. Most likely, all three of those things have been changed on a picture of a woman, and it's not hard to find out. How many women do you know have pearly white skin and don't occupy a single blemish, mole, pimple, or scar? I remember on KISS FM's "DreX in the Morning" radio program they discussed how parental browbeating and mediocre, sometimes abusive relationships affect a woman's already fragile self-esteem and worth. They brought up how on a magazine cover, Brittney Spears' face was photoshopped onto the body she occupied in the nineties.

Miss Representation doesn't break new ground or uncover anything that wasn't pretty much known before, but will likely be useful to teenage girls who are perhaps unaware of the media bias. I unfortunately missed a screening of this at my high school and a lengthy lecture following it. It would've been nice to see audiences reactions in the flesh. I can see some dismissing this as mock-feminist propaganda and I can see people being truly informed and moved by this documentary. Me, I stand where I usually am; in the middle. This is a well made documentary, but not without my personal quibbles and questions. For one, the film mentions that there are very few women directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, etc. Okay, but are women being forced out by the big, bad man, or are they just not showing a genuine interest in the behind the scenes aspects of the film industry? Another thing I must bring up; maybe it's not the studios' fault that women are portrayed so dimly in film. You can't tell me that actresses like Megan Fox and Jessica Simpson don't contract themselves to basically flaunt their stuff in films like The Dukes of Hazzard and Transformers. They know what they're getting into, and appear to have no problem showing what they have. I'm not saying it's right, but maybe the film is too quick to point figures at the provider rather than the person signing the contract and giving consent to be used as a basic caricature.

Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom has done a bold and admirable thing releasing Miss Representation, not only letting it glide its way around the country in screenings, but by giving the distribution rights to The Oprah Winfrey Network. This is an informative and amusing documentary showing us that our biggest source of information also serves as our biggest influence on people, good and bad. I'll leave off with a quote from Jim Steyer, one of my favorite speakers in the film; "It's not a Liberal or Conservative issue; it's an American issue and an American problem." Starring: Geena Davis, Condoleezza Rice, Lisa Ling, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Rosario Dawson, Jim Steyer, Dr. Jackson Katz, and Gloria Steinem. Directed by: Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

I give this a 4 because it was professionally done, in terms of editing and photography, but in terms of content, it really is sub par.

Basically this documentary tries to build the case that media is an insidious influence, whenever it is convenient to their case, but ignores any evidence that doesn't fit their theory. For instance if media were so influential, Americans would be thin and fit, but we all know that isn't true. But more to the point the issue with this documentary is that it is not concerned with looking at its arguments in any depth, instead a cheap slogan type of declaration or testimony is put out by some talking head and in a few minutes of selective media clips they try to cover the lack of depth by jumping from topic to topic flooding you with a barrage of clips and speakers. It reminds me more of a political campaign advertisement than a serious documentary really interested in honest examination of an issue.

They make points claiming that other countries have had women leaders before us because we don't depict them in the media, but does that even pass quick inspection? Benazir Bhuto who was a female prime minister of Pakistan lead arguably one of the most sexist countries on earth. So how does that argument even pass muster before they put it in the documentary? It epitomizes the level of thinking in this film.

Margaret Cho for example claims that sexism was the reason her sitcom failed, but is that really true? Maybe she just isn't funny. It doesn't matter to this film because all they do is throw these statements out there one after another. Statements claiming that shows like jersey shore are sexist because they show women in a bad light are made entirely ignoring the fact that the male cast in those shows are hardly considered respectable either. This type of poorly thought out argument is the basis for the entire film sadly, and because it is so paper thin, they cut from topic to topic in a hyperactive manner.

TV networks like FX have even been known to do things like pass on hit shows like Breaking Bad because they rejected the show based on their quest to break into the lucrative female demographic. Apparently the middle aged white lead was enough for them to pass on the show. But such facts do not matter to this film, which assumes sexism is always the answer to every question in the most simplistic way.

My problem with films like these is that they are more about employing techniques of propaganda with selective evidence and shallow one sided argument rather than encouraging critical thought about a subject. To promote this as a feminist film is really to give women no credit at all.

If one is going to claim that media does women a disservice, I would suggest this film is the most harmful of all. To use the words of Erika Falk PhD from the documentary against herself and the film itself, women like her and this film paint themselves as "more fragile, emotional, and more gullible than men, therefore they are irrational and cannot be trusted in positions of power".

Excellent documentation about how women are seen in society. I know it's unfair to judge any media or source based on it itself, but from watching numerous documentation of the same subject I would consider this to be one of if not the best documentation about women in society. It addresses female stereotypes in society, which is so overlooked today. I am shocked that this documentation only has a rating of 6.9 when I came to IMDb. To be honest (and not trying to be rude, I know not everyone is the same or have the same ideas) but I assume most people that gave this film a good rating were female, and the men probably rated it quite low.

What is more disturbing than others (mostly men) speaking out against women who don't look a certain way are the silenced thoughts created from the portrayal of the media to every single person in society.

I strongly recommend this documentation.

First off - I'm a guy. Albeit a guy who had graduate level feminist media theory classes 20 years ago - I'm a guy none-the-less. And I think people who know me would probably consider me "a guy's guy" overall.

The film is filled with much of what we studied in graduate school in the early 90s. So I guess there was a lot of "no duh" moments for me in it. But if it opens some people's eyes then it's worth it. The messages are essential to the health of our daughters, sons and country as a whole. Many of what I thought were the most important parts of the film were "glossed over," but that may be my view/perspective. For example, to me THE MOST important point in the film is that TV shows are essentially "made for men 18-34." Why - because that demographic doesn't really watch TV unless they're driven to the set somehow. TV show creators don't worry about women - because women watch TV anyway.

Think about that - most of us can agree that most of what's on TV is crap. And yet, the people who make TV don't worry about losing the female audience at all. Until women turn off the crap on TV, I doubt that will change.

Hit or miss (no pun intended) outing for a first time director. Great messages, important content, mediocre execution. Probably too much "sexual imagery" for me to let my 12 year old daughter watch it - but soon. And everyone over 15 should be aware of the subject matter. This is as good a way as any.

Miss representation is a film that does not say anything that people who were interested in feminism did not already know before but yet still sends a powerful message. Just the other day I was asked why the media should change when they are making so much money off of the objectification and stereotypes of women and this film shows viewers exactly why. This movie highlights what an extremely powerful and dangerous tool the media is in how young women come to view themselves and their standing in the world. This documentary shows multiple examples of how women are portrayed in extremely sexual ways almost to be viewed as objects, and when they are not being treated like sexual objects they are being treated with extreme *** in the media. This documentary not only highlights how fictional female characters are being portrayed but also how some of the most powerful and respected women today, such as Hillary Clinton, are completely ignored for what they have accomplished and instead just ridiculed for how they look. Some of you may be wondering what the big deal is that the media portrays women this way and this documentary will serve you well because it shows that the media's representation of women directly effects not only how other people treat women, but also how young women come to look at themselves, and also feeds directly into what women are taught to value about themselves, looks over brains. The media may not be the only thing that feeds into the constant degradation of women but this movie illustrates to the viewer that changing the way that women are represented could be an important first step in the fight for equality.

"Miss Representation" makes some very good points, but the execution was a bit of a turnoff. That opening strings score while statistics are being thrown on to the screen borders on fear-mongering, and Jennifer Newsom cuts in throughout with a somber voice-over. The front end of this thing skews melodramatic.

Eventually, the documentary settles into the material, and it makes a solid argument. The shocking double standard of judging (and prizing) women differently than men in the media, the teenagers who work overtime to fit a media ideal. It's an engaging piece.

This is worth it if you can get beyond the clumsy opening. I have a child of my own, and I can empathize with Newsom in worrying about the world in which she'll grow up. It's just that the motherhood aspect was shoe-horned into the documentary.

6/10

Miss Representation address, mostly, the important issue of how women are represented in the media and the impact such representations have on how society perceives women, how it affects the ability of women to reach higher echelons of media-related positions, and how that in turn affects programming, choices in advertising, and perpetuation and certain stereotypes and patterns. On this aspect, it delivers quite a powerful message.

However, there are also serious flaws, some of argument, some of execution.

While I myself fully support gender equality, and otherwise agree with the problem of glass ceilings and reduction of professional women to their sexualized attributes, I think it is very, very worrying the suggestion for some level of censorship and regulation of media content, especially the implication that some government agency should step in to enforce "family standards" in online content production and broadcasting. As a viewer, I was left with the impression the producers really didn't have a clue about issues concerning freedom of speech and were incredibly naive on their pro-censorship stance (since it doesn't resonate with the rest of the documentary).

Editing also could have been better. Some of the short testimonials could have been consolidated in longer shots focusing just one subject, instead of having too many parallel interviews clumsy moving forward on little bits that often got lost.

Finally, I think they could have better explored the hook on how sexist attitudes are bad not only for girls and women, but also for men. That would make the documentary even more interesting, although it already lacks, fortunately, a us vs. them tone.

Miss representation offers a range of perspectives on the ever- changing relationship between the media (specifically American) and the social world. Director/producer Jennifer Siebel Newsom feeds us with information without making it feel substantial or overly informative. It is engaging, eye opening and allows each viewer to take away something new from the viewing experience.

Rachel Maddow, Geena Davis and Katie Couric are among many of the recognizable faces featured. Who better to listen to concerning women and the media than real woman in the media (rhetorical Q)? Running for 85 minutes Miss Representation covers a range of topics such as women in politics. Comparing the political journey of both Clinton and Palin seems to be ironic and hypocritical since the message echoing throughout the documentary is not to compare powerful women in the media but admire them. This is likely due to their combined popularity in mainstream culture which is just as if not more relevant today (cough… 2017 American Presidential Election). Although the viewpoint is taken from an American stance, it is relevant on an international scale. The United States produce entertainment consumed worldwide which should in turn make the primary creators of the content more self reflective and aware of the power they hold.

Miss Representation doesn't ask its audience to nod along willingly but simply to step back and reflect on the intentions of the media and the insidious effects on mental health and on social values. Despite what I had assumed beforehand, I learned that media is not simply a product of our environment, our environment may be a product of the media which is much more distressing....

Overall, I truly enjoyed this documentary. After the American Presidential election, it seems that another piece by Newsom like Miss Representation would be vastly interesting concerning women in politics on a less broad scale. Wherever your political or social beliefs on the topic of women in the media lie, you will take something new away from this. The editing and soundtrack cleverly boosted the tone the whole way through so you don't get an opportunity to tune out. The cast and footage included was engaging and everything tied together. Would recommend worldwide to all genders!

The overall aim of this documentary is well received. It's clear what the subject is and it makes its points clearly. But the editing and production was a little confusing at times, and I found the narration of the producer to be at times not really related to the context. I understand the role of bringing it back to a newly born child. I also felt there could have been a greater emphasis on what society should do, not just on women lifting women up. As a mother of boys, I felt that part was missing. Overall though, really good work

First of all, I am a man. I can hear many of you booing about that. I am however very much supportive of women and what they can accomplish. Often, my wife has earned more money than I have, and I am not bitter about it. My mother has earned more than my father did. It has never bothered me.

This documentary however is quite selective in what it portrays and how it is portrayed. For all the times women can be upset about how sexualized they are in media, or how catty they are portrayed, men can be just as upset about how ignorant, dumb, and out of touch they are. How many sitcoms are built around the premise of a dumbed down dad and a smart mom? Meanwhile there have been plenty of representations of smart sophisticated women on television. Where is their mention in this documentary? It's largely ignored.

As far as politics go, the vast majority of the women politicians shown are controversial, and not simply because they are women. But that's not the worst of it. Women have been gaining political ground, working as lawmakers, legislators, governors of states, and in some areas heads of states.

What irked me the most about this though was for all the pontificating, the documentary actually undermined a large part of its premise. Near the beginning there was anger that "reality" television presents women as being catty, argumentative, and backstabbing. Yet toward the end many of those interviewed called for an end to the cattiness and backstabbing. Which is it because it can't be both at the same time? And then what's with the director of Twilight? Doesn't she know that the novels and the movies make Bella, who is an extremely weak willed girl, into some kind of a role model? That she does anything to get the attention of a voyeuristic vampire? Yeah, great female role model there.

I'm going to end by saying this: does objectification exist? Certainly it does, but it's not a one-way street. Movies like "Magic Mike" exist. My sister is completely enamored with Chris Hemsworth's portrayal of 'Thor' in the Marvel movies. Yes it exists. I wish it didn't. But it goes both ways. What we need to do is learn mutual respect for each other, not lists of demands to force on each other.

While I agree that there is a huge disparity between the way that men and women are represented in the media, I believe that this documentary raises the right concerns without attempting to find a resolution. The resolution is not easy, and will not happen overnight but there should be more that women, and young women can do to improve depictions of themselves in mass media. On the other hand, this video places high stress on shattering media's depiction of beauty, while presenting women who are very obviously wearing a large amount of make up and are all on the thinner side of the body spectrum. I am not insisting that the women featured in this documentary should be bare faced or at an unhealthy size, but I do think that there should be a larger variety of women represented in the film because in this way they are still conforming to ideals that they themselves are attempting to break from.

From an educational perspective, it is important for young women aged 12+ to watch this film and understand that they have the power to change the portrayal of their gender in the media from "Politician Barbie" to politician by challenging criticism and taking it in stride. I am hoping to see a second part to this documentary in the coming years, perhaps with more testimonials from young women and media figures.

Let me state up front that I consider myself a strong and active supporter women although I refuse to label myself as a feminist since I think the true meaning of the label has been high-jacked and perverted by the self-proclaimed leaders of that movement. Rather, I prefer the label of "classical liberal" who is a staunch support of equal rights for women. And it for that reason I bother to write.

I just watched your documentary "Miss Representation". I was incredibly frustrated and saddened by what I saw was golden opportunity missed. Golden in that chalk full of "real gold" regarding women's rights/equality issues, but, sadly, it was also so salted with so much "fool's gold" (i.e. damaging hyperbole and clear political agenda) that most viewer will disregard it as just another rampantly and irreparably partisan diatribe. What a shame. The truly tragic part is it didn't have to be that way. In fact, if could have easily been otherwise.

You could have highlighted the treasure trove of gold (unflinching reality and "fair facts" regarding the issue) without the poison political pills you scattered among your extremely thought provoking points. Specifically you repeatedly leaned on the cliché rhetorical and political debate tools and polemics of the left. In so doing you, ironically, guaranteed that your documentary instantly alienates close to half the viewing public (non-liberals) who should be your target. Rather you are left preaching to the left, who are already your choir (i.e., modern "progressive", "liberals," old guard feminists).

The reason that I am so heart sick over this fact is that the documentary did such a spectacular job of defining the problem including the etymology of the problem... which I would broadly state as the male dominated history of the world and its current iteration as viewed through lens of modern media.

BUT THEN, it manages to eviscerates the power of that message by offering solutions... which were highly polarizing, politically... i.e, that the "solution" is yet more government, more legislation and more regulation... much of which will end up diminishing and dis-empowering the very women they were intended to benefit.

The problem this documentary so beautifully elucidates is TOO IMPORTANT to have half the entire population grab the clicker to turn it off when it starts hearing the same old tired polarizing vitriol from the same old warn out pundits – the very ones criticized in the same document.

Do you really believe that we need more regulation of the media, and free press, as several of your commentators suggest. Ironically the lines you up with the sensors on the right that want to dictate media content to THEIR moral standard.

What irked me the most was that this political pandering, was COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE. You had so many credible, unbiased, fair and accurate feminist commentators (of all political stripe) that could have made your powerful points without politicizing and polarizing the whole piece (alliteration not intended). You could have easily veered off in uncharted territory – even-hand and politically unbiased pursuit of the truth, but chose instead decided to take the path "most traveled" and politically worn, all on the left side of the road.

It's a shame you couldn't resist the pervading peer pressure to tow the liberal establishment line, literally and figuratively. Partisan pull is powerful.

Criticism of misogynistic men in their thought and deed is 100% valid, and critically necessary. Lumping all men into that monolith makes it part of the problem of sexism, not the solution.

I have a dream... that someday… men (and women) will be judged by the content of their character, and the gray matter a half an inch behind that "pretty face" (to paraphrase Dr. King). The greatest injustice man has ever perpetrated against itself during its entire history on this planet was to waste, minimalism, or at the very least underutilized HALF of the world's human resources.

What would the world be like today if we had twice as many genius, artists, exceptional leaders and policy makers... from the beginning of time – who also just happen to be women. The mind boggles. I wish that point was more clearly stated. But I think its' at least inferred, which is good… or even great, since its' so rarely pointed out.

I found myself agreeing with a surprising number of the opinions being expressed. You eloquently defined the true nature of the problem: the mangled misogyny so powerfully experienced and so compellingly articulated by a wide range of women in your documentary - many of whom courageously state that women themselves are as big a part of the problem as men. The discussion of the inherent power dynamic that operates to allow and encourage women to disenfranchise themselves was exactly on point. I just wished you had stated the obvious implication; that its women who innately have the power to instantly change virtually every aspect of their own status as "second class citizens" and virtually every other evil you illustrated – if only they self-actualized to true nature of the barrier that prevents them from doing so.

The lens I filter it through is not democrat or republican, not one of liberal lemmings who can speak the feminist mantra but don't know the meaning of the words, or the soul crushing conformist conservatives who want to dictate to women how they should live and love.

As I said, if I had to pick a label…it would be "classical liberal," ironic, I know, since modern "progressive liberals" are largely the antithesis of many of the true liberals that literally stand of liberty.

Regardless, thanks for your efforts, and I hope you at least consider some of these thoughts going forward in your work.

I watch this for the first time when I was 17-years-old in high-school as part of my Media Studies curriculum. I remember feeling overwhelmed with how much I could relate to, and empathise with the women interviewed in this documentary.

It inspired me so much so that I went on to do my coursework assignments for my A-Levels on the media's power to influence young women. I looked at the way media is constructing femininity, and the link we see young women making between their physical appearance and their self-worth.

It was powerful to be hearing the point of view of a concerned mother as an academic, and an activist. Jennifer Siebel Newson not only exposed the toxic stereotypes women face through consuming popular culture and various media, but actively challenged those very same concepts by producing this film. She opened up the conversation to all women, and emphasised he importance we all play in reinforcing or challenging the media to empower and allow for women to grow into their true selves, rather than the very narrow, acceptable idea society decides a woman should be.

As a female director the first thing I notice about this film is that the women have too much make- up. And their hairs are perfect in every shot. And they talk about misrepresentation of women.

But if we philosophically talk about this film and its contents, it's OK, it talks about real and horrible problem of teenage depression, diet obsession and disorders and many other maladies caused by living in a bubble created by media. People of both genders have this disorder and have obsessions with their bodies and look. It's planetary. Maybe even anthropological question since since ever people maimed their bodies to look 'great', from European corsets in the mid-XX century, Chinese wooden shoes, collars that extend necks of African tribal women, to contemporary plastic surgery.

I think that problem lies in fashion in general, in human obsession with fashion. In human need to be accepted. Actually the problem is very deep. Focusing on solely media is only a tip of the iceberg.

Miss Representation did a good job with many of the ideas that we already have about women and how they are portrayed in the media. It didn't introduce many new ideas but rather hashed out all the things we have heard many times. This movie is also geared towards females and many males may have a hard time wanting to even get into it. This excludes almost half of the population. Overall, the movie is talking about something that needs to be brought up in conversations and they did a decent job with it. This is a movie that could people may be able to benefit from as there is a ton of statistics and facts in the movie. It was informative about what exactly is going on.

My wife and I watched this documentary last evening. We were disappointed because the film seems extremely shallow and repetitious. It presents a single simple message over and over ad nauseam. Also, we would have liked to have seen some average young women being interviewed - perhaps, some even with conflicting views - rather than the litany of older celebrities who all appeared to being saying the same thing. Unfortunately too, the photos and videos used as examples of how women are depicted as *** objects in the media seem very dated - they looked like they were from the 1980's. This film was a huge disappointment mainly because we were anticipating an intelligent, in-depth treatment of the subject - something the subject deserves.