Itty Bitty Titty Committee:
Where has it been all my life?
 |
This is the primary sentiment I was left with after watching Jamie Babbit’s latest masterpiece of indie/feminist/queer cinema. Maybe I’m biased, because I expected no less from the woman behind But I’m A Cheerleader, the 1999 release of an overly campy, satirical look at teens sent away to “homo rehab” for the summer.
In all seriousness, I was initially surprised this movie was made now and not at the height of the riot grrrl movement in the 90’s, though part of its charm is its ability to both celebrate and poke fun at militant feminism. Perhaps we needed this distance from the peak of riot grrrl taking itself the most seriously before this movie could be made. The music and politics represented in the film are primarily that of more recent, post-riot grrrl movements formed by feminists who were too young to be pro-active in the early 90’s, but were inspired to make it their own once they were able. This sentiment is actually expressed in the film’s tagline: “Every generation needs a new revolution.”
Itty Bitty Titty Committee paints a complete picture of many young girls’ experiences discovering feminism for the first time: First the naiveté and curiosity, followed by the almost mindless spouting of academic rhetoric they don’t yet completely understand, then the political activism that results in disillusionment and frustration when they don’t instantly see the change they are trying to affect, finally ending in a fuller understanding of compromises that must sometimes be made in order for any movement to progress.
Anna is an unassuming, slightly morose teenager who recently graduated from high school, got rejected by her sole choice of college, and was dumped by her first-ever serious girlfriend, all seemingly in a matter of weeks. Though she lives in a supportive and (almost surreally and creepily) pro-gay family, she has yet to challenge herself or step out of her comfort zone. She is working as a receptionist for a plastic surgery clinic when she meets Sadie, who happens to be spray painting feminist testimony on the practice’s windows after dark in the name of Clits in Action (the C(i)A). Sadie, clearly finding Anna non-threatening and easily moldable, invites her to a meeting of the group. Anna surprisingly attends, seemingly out of sheer boredom, and receives her first lesson in radical grassroots feminism. She appears intrigued, but when we learn that Anna has a preference for “femmey blondes” (read: Sadie in a nutshell), it becomes obvious that there is underlying inspiration having nothing to do with affecting social change, and the love story we have been expecting begins to unfold.
Not wanting to give away any spoilers, I will simply say that you can expect a predictable storyline not made out of predictable material. Lessons are learned, hearts are won and hearts are broken, but all within a queer backdrop and amidst comedic social commentary. The movie is simple and smart at the same time.
Like But I’m A Cheerleader before it, this film is best used to preach to the converted. It will surely have a narrow target audience, and hopefully this audience alone will flock to it. Just as But I’m A Cheerleader should not be seen by parents actually considering sending their kids to ex-gay camp, Itty Bitty Titty Committee should not be seen by anyone looking for their first introduction to the lives of young queer feminists unless they have an extremely developed understanding of satire. This movie, more so than most, could be a completely different experience for someone without any prior knowledge of what it is parodying. That being said, Itty Bitty Titty Committee actually walks the line between satire and not, and this is the complexity that would be hard to pick apart for an audience outside its target.
Back to www.outinasheville.com
_________________________________________________________________________
And don't forget to check out our newest online exclusive,
_________________________________________________________________________