- Cinema has successfully showcased many depictions of the strong bond between women.
- Every generation has been privy to at least one girls’ trip movie.
- 80 For Brady, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno is a classic.
Nothing compares to the strength of female friendship in a girls’ trip film. It’s the kind of dynamic that always survives the difficulties any couple must face. The friendship always triumphs, no matter how many arguments, fights, or boys stand in the way. The strong friendship between women has been skillfully portrayed in numerous films throughout the years, and finally a pattern emerged: films about females going on vacation together.
They always stick together, whether they are on a much-needed holiday or avoiding the law. With the release of 80 For Brady, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno, this pattern has continued all the way up to the present. At least one girls’ trip film that captures the spirit of the moment and endures as a classic has been seen by every generation.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
Women weren’t treated particularly favorably in the early days of movies. More than one female in a leading position was highly uncommon, much less two or more of women embarking on a journey together. In almost every case, the starring lady was cast with a male equivalent. That is, up until the 1950s, and specifically the Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. On a transatlantic cruise as musicians, Lorelei Lee (Monroe) and Dorothy Shaw (Russell) are approached by a number of men who are vying for their attention.
The two best friends’ unbreakable bond provides the ideal backdrop for them to reflect on their relationship goals and make some crucial choices regarding their future. The ship also represents glitz, riches, and luxury in contrast to Lorelei and Dorothy’s friendship, which is more grounded and accessible. Although Lorelei sang “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” on the ship’s grand staircase, neither a material possession nor a man could ever sever their actual bond.
Beaches (1988)
The demand for these movies only increased throughout the years. Those who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s were bombarded with images of women traveling together in those decades. Beaches, a 1988 film by Garry Marshall, examined the difficulties of a bicoastal friendship. It explores how adulthood and choosing various courses in life can put even the closest friendships to the test as it chronicles the longstanding relationship of CC (Bette Midler) and Hillary (Barbara Hershey).
In Beaches, the ups and downs of their friendship are explored, along with jealously, rivalry, and, in the end, forgiveness and acceptance. They portray their commitment to the friendship no matter what by using the backdrop of their vacations in Atlantic City and visits to each other in New York and Los Angeles. How far they are apart. Beaches served as a reminder to viewers of the significance of demonstrating how dynamics can alter as you mature.
Thelma and Louise (1991)
Early 1990s movies about girls’ trips reached their heights and made Thelma and Louise’s phrase “ride or die” famous. In Ridley Scott’s 1991 movie, two best friends go missing after Louise (Susan Sarandon) shoots a man who is abusing Thelma during a weekend getaway (Geena Davis). In an effort to get away from the law and into Mexico, they go over the desert. The two friends face a series of desperate choices as the pressure from the law mounts, and they ultimately must make the ultimate sacrifice for one another.
One of the first and most accurate depictions of the complexities of a complex female relationship was Thelma and Louise. Their bond endures despite all of the difficulties and adversity they encounter. Even though they don’t always get along or agree, they will always stand by and support one another. The movie serves as a monument to the two main characters as well as a tale of female emancipation and the power that comes from being surrounded by real friends.
Boys on the Side (1995)
The 1995 comedy-drama Boys on the Side has Whoopi Goldberg, Drew Barrymore, and Mary-Louise Parker as its leading ladies. Jane (Goldberg) responds to an ad from Robin (Parker) offering a trip across the country as she relocates from New York to LA. They make a pit stop in Pittsburgh en route to help Robin’s friend Holly (Barrymore) flee a violent relationship.
As the three of them travel on to California together, they open up to each other about their challenges and secrets and start to support each other emotionally. Although the movie depicts queerness and HIV in an out-of-date manner, the lesson that female friendship may be a tremendous force for recovery and growth is always relevant. Although Holly, Robin, and Jane all have distinct upbringings and must deal with their own misfortunes, they are able to find support and resiliency in one another.
The First Wives Club (1996)
Hugh Wilson’s 1996 masterpiece The First Wives Club questioned Hollywood’s stereotypical view of middle-aged women. The friendship of Elise (Goldie Hawn), Brenda (Better Midler), and Annie (Diane Keaton), three women who had been estranged from one other for many years because of the passing of their longtime friend, is the main theme of the movie. The three women support one another as they adjust to being single after having their husbands leave them for younger partners. Together, they organize the “First Wives Club,” and they plot to damage the lives and careers of their ex-husbands in order to exact revenge.
Along the journey, the women become closer because of their shared experiences and support one another in regaining their self-assurance and independence. The time the women spent away didn’t lessen their chemistry; rather, it made them realize that their connection is enduring and age- and time-indifferent. No one could ever claim that watching a film about women over forty is boring because Hawn, Midler, and Keaton carried the movie with such levity and humor, especially with their rendition of “You Don’t Own Me.”
Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997)
Numerous films on female friendship were made in the 1990s, but none of them are as entertaining and well-known as Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. Romy and Michele, played by Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow, respectively, are two dull yet lively females who only want to spend out with one another. The sisters decide to travel back to Arizona for their ten-year high school reunion in an effort to show their former bullies that they are doing well even though neither of them has done much since graduating.
Romy and Michele’s friendship is one to aspire to since they have such a profound understanding of one another that they essentially communicate in their own language. They can always rely on the other to support them, no matter how ridiculous they are, what they are wearing, or lies they utter. To show their unique and lively connection, Kudrow and Sorvino possessed the ideal chemistry and humorous timing. The mystery surrounding who created the Post-It is buried in bubblegum pink hues, but the story’s central theme is two highly independent women traveling together on a path of self-discovery.
How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
Even if the number of films on female friendships increased in the 1990s, there was still a serious lack of diversity in the casts. How Stella Got Her Groove Back was one movie that generated a lot of buzz in that way. The story centers on Stella (Angela Bassett), who appears to have it all—a successful profession and a wonderful connection with her son—but who is actually yearning for more out of life, which causes her to experience a sort of midlife crisis. Stella’s best friend, Delilah (Whoopi Goldberg), persuades her to take a well-earned vacation to a posh resort in Jamaica so she may unwind and recharge.
Little does Stella know that Delilah will surprise her there. Even though the film is more about Stella realizing the importance of living life to the fullest rather than friendship, Delilah is an instrumental part of that process. She serves as a sounding board for Stella’s complaints and concerns about life, and encourages her to embrace change and take risks to find her happiness. Stella and Delilah provide a positive representation of Black female friendship, where they love and uplift each other no matter what.
Crossroads (2002)
Crossroads, the archetypal girly-girl road trip movie, was Britney Spears’ one and only foray into the film industry. It signaled the start of a fresh batch of girl-trip movies aimed for the millennial generation. Three childhood friends—Lucy (Spears), Kit (Zoe Saldana), and Mimi (Taryn Manning)—reunite after a long separation and set out on a cross-country road journey to Los Angeles in an effort to achieve their aspirations and rekindle their relationships with one another.
Together, they take on issues like karaoke at dive bars, estranged mothers, and cheating lovers in addition to a potentially murderous maniac. Although Crossroads leans toward the early 2000s melodramatic kitsch, it emphasizes the value of having friends to draw on in trying times and gave us the well-known ballad “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman.”
The Sweetest Thing (2002)
The Sweetest Thing, a more risqué and filthy version of the girl’s road trip movie, was released the same year as Crossroads. Christina (Cameron Diaz), a carefree lady who isn’t searching for a committed relationship, is the focus of the romantic comedy. She needs to tell Peter (Thomas Jane) that she is beginning to change her mind about love.
Christina (Christina Applegate) and Courtney, her best friend, drive across California in search of Peter. They experience a number of misadventures along the road (many of which are too inappropriate to describe in detail). Their willingness to open out to one another about their darkest and most vulnerable moments in life is what makes their friendship so endearing. Only women share their unrestricted trust and understanding.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008)
The majority of the movies on this list are intended for adults only. As much as any age group, younger girls struggle with companionship, making decisions in life, and self-discovery. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants films become a mainstay for kids growing up in the early 2000s as a result. Despite spending the most of the two films apart, best pals Lena (Alexis Bledel), Bridget (Blake Lively), Carmen (America Ferrera), and Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) remain connected thanks to a mysterious pair of pants that precisely fit each of them.
All four of these girls have experienced extremely distinct paths in life, and as they get older, their similarities decrease. When the jeans go missing in Greece, the four girls come together to save their friendship and rekindle their bond while on a lovely Grecian vacation since they believe that the jeans are the only thing keeping them in touch. They never locate the jeans again, but they no longer require them as they are reminded that their special friendship can endure without the power of the jeans.
Girls Trip (2017)
The 2017 comedy Girls Getaway, which has the perfect title, is possibly the best depiction of a girls’ trip. It’s long overdue to see a group of diverse ladies enjoying a good time and being plain funny. Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith), Dina (Tiffany Haddish), and Sasha (Queen Latifah) are invited to join Regina Hall’s character Ryan, a prominent author and motivational speaker, as VIP guests during the annual Essence Festival in New Orleans.
The “Flossy Posse” of four friends rapidly slips back into their old dynamic, but they soon realize that a lot has changed in their lives since they last saw each other. The women embark on a series of hilariously absurd escapades, including a wild hotel room night, a night of partying, and a trip to a strip club. The friends’ unresolved issues and past traumas come to the surface during their trip and lead to a brawl despite the comical and chaotic times. They are able to go past their issues and support one other more intensely than before, just like any strong bond can. Fortunately, the Flossy Posse will return in the next Girls Trip2 movie.
Rough Night (2017)
A whitewashed version of Girls Trip was released in the same year, in true Hollywood style. You can’t help but make a parallel, despite the fact that Rough Night follows a different direction. Old college pals reconnect for a trip, and Scarlett Johansson is the leader of the group. The besties of Jess (Johansson) are going all out for an unforgettable weekend at a beach house in Miami for her bachelorette party.
When the group inadvertently kills a stripper they hired for the party, things take a nasty turn. Chaos and humor result from their panicked attempts to cover up the crime. The dynamic of the group, which also includes Kate McKinnon, Zo Kravitz, Jillian Bell, and Ilana Glazer, is initially one of exhilaration and melancholy, but as the stakes rise, the pals start to come clean about how they really feel about one another. When they are cleared of the crime, the tension lessens and they are able to appreciate how much they all care for one another, teaching them not to take it for granted.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
The formulaic method taken by ladies’ trip movies had to be changed as the number of Generation Z moviegoers increased. A unique illustration of women journeying together for a better good may be found in George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road. In a high-stakes quest to defeat the oppressive dictator Immortan Joe, Max (Tom Hardy) and Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) pair up in a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland.
The concubines known as “The Wives,” who want to get away from Joe, are traveling with Furiosa and Max. Each of the women has distinctive qualities and skills that are explored throughout the film, and Furiosa’s journey with them is essential to the struggle against Joe’s tyranny. Fury Road is a unique addition to this list because it shows strong, united women fighting against injustice and for freedom.
Zola (2020)
Finally, a movie about a road trip that Twitter users will like. The A24 dark comedy opens with the narrator, “Y’all want to hear a narrative about why me and this b**** here fell out,” when Zola (Taylour Paige) and Stefani (Riley Keough) meet. The females aren’t necessarily close friends, but they share the same objective—chasing the bag. Zola is persuaded by Stefani to travel to Miami with her for the weekend in order to dance at the strip clubs there and make money.
Once Zola finds she’s expected to do a lot more than just undress, things soon get out of hand. She tries to leave all weekend long but is stranded and under Stefani’s pimp’s frightening influence. Fortunately, no harm comes to the women, and all the way home, Stefani receives the silent treatment from Zola. The women don’t really get along or have a sense of camaraderie, but they do need one another to defeat the men. Zola is the ideal Gen-Z ladies’ trip movie since it is sex-positive, centers on social networking, and has a number of characters who are incredibly up to date.
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021)
Star and Barb Go to Vista Del Mar is a brightly inflated satire of the current subject. The film’s titular characters, played by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, vacation in the made-up Florida town of Vista Del Mar for the first time ever after leaving their stuffy Nebraska town. Once there, they make friends with a lot of odd locals and engage in some crazy adventures.
Barb and Star become caught up in the evil villain’s plot to ruin Vista Del Mar and must intervene to preserve the community and their new friends. The villain is titled (also Wiig). Vista Del Mar was spared from ruin thanks to determined teamwork and Barb and Star’s culottes. The two closest friends will always remember their exploits in Florida as they ride an inflatable banana off into the distance. Beyond the ridiculousness, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is a humorous homage to all of the greatest girls’ trip films of the past.
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