Negative Stereotypes Of Aging In The Film Monster In Law

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The film “Monster-in-Law,” starring Jane Fonda, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Vartan, and Wanda Skyes, is about a young woman, Charlotte (Jennifer Lopez), who meets and ends up dating Dr. Kevin Fields (Michael Vartan). Kevin ends up proposing to Charlotte, in which she happily accepts but realizes that Kevin’s mother, Viola (Jane Fonda) is not pleased to have a new member added to the family. Viola, a newscaster, who just recently lost her job and is feeling rather attached to Kevin, feels that Charlotte is competition and will do anything to have her son call off the wedding. This movie deconstructs negative stereotypes about aging in culture because Viola (Jane Fonda), at the time was a 68 year old woman, who was healthy, attractive, wealthy, and very energetic. …show more content…

Miller and G. Barrow, the word stereotypes are generalized beliefs or opinions based on individual experience, often produced by irrational thinking. The book also states that a positive stereotype is a generalized belief that categorizes all older people in a favorable light, whereas a negative stereotype categorizes old people in demeaning ways. The sociology book of aging also discusses retirement in chapter two. It states that on retirement, a person’s lifestyle changes dramatically, creating a point of entry from one phase of life to another. The film “Monster-in-Law,” shows the time frame of Violas retirement with how she manages to keep herself busy by planning to have her son Kevin change his mind about marrying Charlotte. This time frame can also relate to some major changes that are happening with Viola by her realizing that she does not want her son to move on in life and that she wants to be Kevin’s number one