Analysis

The Not So White Chicks

                Gut-busting, laugh out loud hilarious over the top movies have always been ones to interest me. The Hangover saga depicting the wild bachelor party weekends in Vegas, The 40-year Old Virgin which picks fun at the idea of still being a virgin at the age of 40, and even Project X the story of the craziest party in history. But the best of all has to be the 2004 hit White Chicks, grossing more than a whopping $111 million dollars in box office sales. Shawn and Marlon Wayans play two FBI agents, Kevin and Marcus Copeland, who go undercover in a kidnapping case as two white girls, Brittany and Tiffany Wilson (otherwise known as the Wilson sisters). After a car accident that leaves the Wilson sisters with teeny-tiny scratches on their faces, they refuse to go to their weekend in the Hamptons. Resulting in the Copeland brothers decision to dress up as two white sisters and spend the weekend in the Hamptons.

                The foremost theme throughout the movie is the outrageous idea that two colored males can dress themselves up as two white girls and fool everyone into believing they are who they say that they are. Kevin and Marcus are even able to fool their friends Karen, Tori and Lisa into thinking they were really the girls. Everyone recognizes that they are much taller than they had previously remembered and yet no one has any idea that it is not actually the Wilson sisters. The Copeland brothers are even able to convince them that they got taller by getting their knees done.

                White Chicks depicts the stereotypical life of a white female. A constant reoccurring notion throughout the movie is Vanessa Carlton's hit song, A Thousand Miles. I believe the idea is to portray the song as a song only white girls listen to. It is used multiple times through the movie. The first incidence is in the car with all the girls and they all jump in and sing the song word for word. When it comes to the guys turn to sing they both are jumbling the words and do not know which line comes next. I find the idea that a song can be used to portray a white female hilarious. Another incident when the song is used is when one of the girls(Marcus) is picked to go on a date with Latrell Spencer, played by Terry Crews. Latrell comes to pick Marcus up and in attempts to turn Latrell off he puts in a CD of A Thousand Miles not expecting Latrell to jump in and start singing. I believe the song as used to make the stereotype that only a white girl would listen to a Vanessa Carlton song.

                The dressing room scene (my absolute favorite part) also shows more stereotypes of women. All the girls are trying to find outfits to wear to the "all white" party. Kevin is in the dressing room trying to help Lisa pick out clothing. As they bring in more options you soon see Lisa freaking out about being fat, when in reality she is a size 2. The dialogue in this scene uses many modern day references to poke fun at being fat, such as Lisa calling herself Carnie Wilson after her gastric bypass surgery. She also uses names her back fat Betty, her cellulite Sally and even her stomach Tina the Talking Tummy. The irony during this scene is how skinny Lisa really is and how many women do see themselves as being fat when in reality they are perfectly healthy and not fat in the least bit.

                Through the movie dances around being racist with humor. There are many references to black culture through the mouths of white females. Kool-aid is commonly made fun of for being a drink for African American, in the movie they try to cover up wearing lipstick as having Kool-aid on his lips instead. Terry Crews' character references the "all white" party as being only for white people when he finds out that Tiffany is really Marcus at the end of the movie when he himself is black. The humor around the idea of racism adds a lighter happier feeling to the movie. Hispanics are even out the butt of the joke when they treat another FBI agent acting as a bellhop who is Hispanic as though he is nothing more than a servant and even calls him "Rico Suave".

                I find myself drawn to movies that are off the wall funny. White Chicks epitomizes the laugh out loud funny movies with crude humor.  The Wayans brothers did an overall fantastic job portraying the lives of two spoiled money driven white girls. The entire cast was perfectly chosen for each role they were given and made the movie the impact that it truly was. White Chicks  easily is a top pick on my favorite movies list.