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Making Love

Name: Making Love
Director: Arthur Hiller
Released: 1982
Duration: 113 min

Representation Score

5.3/10

Fair

1982

Director

Arthur Hiller

Runtime

113 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Arthur Hiller’s drama stands out as a notable early-80s effort to deconstruct traditional domesticity. By placing a same-sex romantic relationship at the heart of the plot, the film disrupts the era's conventional focus on monogamous heterosexual couples. The film's strength lies in its refusal to uphold Western domestic ideals as the ultimate standard of stability. Instead, it frames the dissolution of these structures as a necessary path to authentic selfhood. However, the film's impact is limited by its lack of racial and ethnic diversity. While it successfully challenges straight-centered expectations, it remains confined to a narrow, middle-to-upper-class urban demographic.

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Category Breakdown

Does Making Love have LGBTQ+ representation?

Excellent

The film places same-sex relationships at the center of the plot, giving significant weight to characters exploring their identities. These characters are not relegated to minor roles but are integral to the main storyline.

How does Making Love portray gender?

Good

The story challenges traditional gender roles by emphasizing the internal complexity and ability to act of female characters. It suggests that traditional domestic roles can be confining.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Making Love?

Limited

The cast and setting are predominantly homogeneous, focusing on a narrow demographic. The film does not significantly explore racial or ethnic diversity.

How does Making Love represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative portrays the breakdown of traditional social contracts as a journey toward individual authenticity. It prioritizes personal identity over the preservation of the nuclear family structure.

Does Making Love include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no significant focus on visible or invisible disabilities within the narrative.

Present on Screen

The narrative centers queer identity as a primary driver of the emotional arc rather than a subplot.
It effectively challenges traditional gender hierarchies and the 'happily-ever-after' archetype.
The film prioritizes personal authenticity over the preservation of traditional social institutions.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks racial and ethnic diversity, remaining largely white-centric.
The setting and cast reflect a narrow, homogeneous middle-to-upper-class demographic.
The narrative focuses on emotional fallout rather than a systemic critique of gendered power.

Official Synopsis

A perfect typical LA couple find their happily-ever-after life broken when the husband confronts his long-repressed attraction for other men.

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