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How to Build a Better Boy

How to Build a Better Boy

2014

TV-G

Director

Paul Hoen

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

After inadvertently inputting the qualities of the ideal boyfriend into a high-tech government computer, two social outcasts named Mae and Gabby must contend with Albert, a cybernetic sweetheart with only one directive: to treat Mae to the perfect highschool romance.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

3.8/10

Limited


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film lacks LGBTQ+ characters and does not explore non-heteronormative identities. It focuses strictly on binary masculinity without offering queer perspectives.

Gender Representation

Good

The narrative subverts traditional masculinity by framing it as a manufactured, artificial construct. It critiques gender hierarchies through the high-tech reprogramming of a male lead.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

The story is set within a homogeneous, middle-class domestic environment. There is no evidence of diverse ethnic representation or non-Anglo-Saxon perspectives.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The film challenges the traditional nuclear family by depicting forced behavioral modification. It uses technological intervention to critique manufactured identity and social norms.

Disability Representation

Minimal

Characters are presented within a standard neurotypical and able-bodied framework. There is no discernible representation of physical or mental health disabilities.

Strengths

  • Sophisticated deconstruction of masculinity as a manufactured, rather than inherent, trait.
  • Effective critique of social conformity through the lens of technological identity modification.
  • Subverts traditional gender hierarchies by portraying manliness as a programmed directive.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lack of LGBTQ+ representation and exploration of non-heteronormative identities.
  • Absence of racial and ethnic diversity within the domestic setting.
  • No representation of neurodivergent, physical, or mental health disabilities.

AI Analysis

The film succeeds by using a science-fiction lens to deconstruct the performative nature of masculinity. By treating gender as a programmable variable, it offers a sophisticated critique of social conformity and rigid gender hierarchies. However, the work is significantly limited by its lack of demographic breadth. The narrative remains centered in a homogeneous setting, offering almost no representation of diverse racial, ethnic, or LGBTQ+ identities. Ultimately, while the thematic exploration of gender is intellectually engaging, the film fails to provide meaningful inclusion for neurodivergent, disabled, or non-heteronormative characters.

How are these scores produced? →

Featured in

  • Best Gender Representation in Film

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