Use the Bechdel Test to Break Out of the Netflix Routine
The almighty recommendation algorithm works in mysterious ways, and not always for the best. If your Netflix homepage has turned into an echo chamber, a slight angle change can help you find your new favorite movie.
Most people are probably familiar with the Bechdel test , an interpretation of the 1985 Alison Bechdel comic strip called The Rule . It’s pretty simple: if there are two women in a film talking to each other about something else and not about a man, it fades. Although more conditions have been added over the past 33 years (for example, women must have names), the basic essence has remained the same. It sets the bar incredibly low, but a shocking number of popular films still can’t get past it – making the Bechdel Test a great way to find films you might otherwise have missed.
Netflix recently tweeted a list of titles in its directory that passed the Bechdel test, and this is a good place to start. Everyone will find something for themselves: drama emotional period (Mudbound, Carol), iconic ensemble comedy (Wet Hot American Summer), a delightful romantic drama 90 (Sliding Doors) and powerful stellar War (The Last Jedi). I find other Netflix offerings worth mentioning, including Tangerine , Shadow Dancer , Obvious Child, and Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette special . For some reason, most of these titles have not received a wide release or significant marketing budget, making it difficult to find an appreciative audience.
I am not saying that a film has to pass the Bechdel test to be good, great, or even worth your time; after all, most great movies and TV shows clearly fail. This is just one helpful, albeit imperfect, way to challenge the overwhelmingly masculine dominant narratives in film and television. Next time you’re looking for a movie on Friday night, try the one that passed the Bechdel test – you might just love it.