Television and Radio Criticism

"Making sense of bromance: Talking with straight men about I Love You, Man"- Brenda Spivakovsky

“Making sense of a bromance: Talking with straight men about I Love You, Man” talks about the bromance narrative and how it correlates with the idea of heterosexual masculinity through analyzing people’s response to the movie I Love You, Man. The question being addressed is how the movie responded best with participants, 38 straight-identified male college students, who were seeking fix their idea of traditional norms for how manhood should be viewed. The authors thesis is to study the bromance discourse in the participants and their social exchanges and their interpretations of the movie. After the participants had watched the movie, each individual was interviewed to get a better sense of how bromance helps them navigate ‘between their personal experiences and what they grew up masculine norm.’
The idea of bromance is basically the relationship between men and the idea that they can be friends but still act like a couple in a way. It goes on the reconfiguration of hegemonic masculinity. The movie I Love You, Man represents the bromance discourse through Peter, the main character, and his quest to find a best man for his wedding when he realizes he has no close guy friends. He goes on “man dates” that end poorly but is resolved when he meets Syd and they begin a friendship.
The author talks about homohysteria which is systemic anxiety of homosexuality with passivity and effeminacy. This is because patriarchal privilege had men bond with other men in male dominated spaces and there was a silent rule that men could be among one another but could not be involved intimately. Openly gay men were excluded from this narrative and just general masculinity.  
 

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