You are here:

Dating the Enemy

Name: Dating the Enemy
Director: Megan Simpson Huberman
Released: 1996
Duration: 97 min

Representation Score

4.8/10

Fair

1996

PG-13

Director

Megan Simpson Huberman

Runtime

97 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Dating the Enemy employs a fantasy cliché to explore interpersonal dynamics through a gendered lens. The body-swap device serves as a means to foster empathy, enabling characters to understand life outside their usual social roles. However, the film falls short in other areas. It sticks to traditional romantic structures and does not explicitly represent LGBTQ+ or racial diversity, reflecting the mainstream media standards of 1996. In essence, the film’s diversity is limited to its subversion of gendered experiences rather than a wide range of identity representation.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Dating the Enemy have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film focuses on a heterosexual relationship and does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or identities that challenge the assumption that everyone is straight.

How does Dating the Enemy portray gender?

Good

The body-swap premise upends typical gender expectations by having the protagonists experience life in different bodies, which allows them to explore new sensations and challenges traditional gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Dating the Enemy?

Fair

The film does not provide specific information about the racial or ethnic makeup of the cast, following the homogeneous casting practices common in mainstream media of the mid-1990s.

How does Dating the Enemy represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story delves into the intricacies of relationships and communication, presenting various subjective viewpoints within a typical Western romantic comedy framework.

Does Dating the Enemy include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters with visible or invisible disabilities featured in the film.

Present on Screen

The body-swap concept offers a platform to challenge traditional gender hierarchies and expectations.
The narrative examines the complexities of communication and subjective reality within a relationship.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities and non-straight characters.
There is a noticeable absence of racial, ethnic, or disability-based diversity in the cast.

Official Synopsis

Television show host Brett and his laid-back science journalist girlfriend Tash despair that they will ever truly understand each other. On their first anniversary, under a full moon, a frustrated Tash declares her wish that they could swap lives. The next morning, Brett and Tash awaken to find Tash's wish has come true. Forced to confront the unfamiliar sensations of their "new" bodies, both must navigate strange new experiences with friends and co-workers.

How are these scores produced? →