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How to Be a Modern Man

How to Be a Modern Man

2023

Director

Paz Jiménez

Runtime

99 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Andres Cuadrado is an old-fashioned civil servant. Conservative and somewhat macho, he takes his job at the Ministry of Finance very seriously. He considers himself above all a person "as God commands" and, consequently, he takes it for granted that everything responds to a natural, hierarchical and immovable order. After an unfortunate confrontation with a colleague, Andrés is disciplined and transferred to the Ministry of Equality. There everything is totally new to him: there are no assigned places, no schedules, and everyone is a vegan. Andres will have a lot of catching up to do to adapt to this new order of things.

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

7.4/10

Good


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Good

The Ministry of Equality serves as a progressive ecosystem that challenges heteronormative assumptions. While specific character identities are less central, the setting itself functions as a space for non-traditional values.

Gender Representation

Excellent

The film actively subverts traditional hierarchies by portraying 'macho' masculinity as obsolete. Andrés's conservative archetype is challenged by a more fluid, egalitarian social structure within his new workplace.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

The narrative focuses more on ideological shifts than explicit racial reconfiguration. However, the transition to a progressive ministry suggests a move toward a less homogeneous social fabric.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The story excels at critiquing traditional Western and religious institutions. It frames the protagonist's reliance on 'natural order' as a source of conflict against modern, secular, and progressive values.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no specific information regarding the portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in this work.

Strengths

  • Effective subversion of traditional 'macho' archetypes and masculine leadership.
  • Sophisticated critique of religious-based social hierarchies and traditionalist morality.
  • Strong use of institutional settings to explore modern, egalitarian social structures.

Areas for Improvement

  • Limited explicit focus on racial and ethnic diversity within the narrative.
  • Lack of visible representation or detail regarding physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

AI Analysis

Paz Jiménez uses a comedic fish-out-of-water trope to dismantle rigid social hierarchies. By placing a conservative, macho protagonist into a progressive ministry, the film frames traditionalist worldviews as obstacles to modern social evolution. The strength of the film lies in its institutional critique. It effectively uses the setting to highlight the friction between historical constraints and contemporary, intersectional values, particularly regarding gender and secularism. While the film excels in cultural and gender subversion, it lacks explicit focus on racial diversity or disability representation. The narrative priority remains on the clash of ideological and social structures.

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