Review of The Players (2012) by Jenna I — 27 Jun 2016

As another reviewer said, a "very French take on infidelity." The biggest problem with this movie isn't that it expresses the misogynistic views that many men have about cheating (from "we're just animals, it's in our blood" to "women only cheat for love"), its that it gives those views a little too much thought and consideration. Even though it 'mercifully' never shows any of the women in the movie in a bad light/having deserved the treatment given to their husbands (the only woman who is vaguely thoughtful about the subject of infidelity is the non-conventionally attractive coworker in the hotel-skit), which to me seems like a copout as you never hear the women's side of it. All of the other wives and girlfriends are either sex-objects, totally flippant, always angry, emotionally volatile or only calm when with their children; they're never shown as complex adults in the same way the cheating men are. Even worse, the thoughtful consideration given to the men is typically along the lines of 'gosh cheating is so hard and difficult but hey, sometimes it has to happen.'.

At the heart of this 'comedy' is essentially just several morality plays. But considering the point of these short films is that cheating isn't worth it (or, even *gasp* worse- that the excess might 'turn' you gay [*gag*]), they sure spend a lot of time trying to explain that the logic behind the decision to cheat is sound, as it's based in 'natural impulses.'.