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The Valet

The Valet

2022

PG-13

Runtime

124 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

World famous movie star Olivia faces a PR disaster when a paparazzi snaps a photo of her with her married lover, Vincent. The hard-working valet Antonio accidentally appears in the same photo and is enlisted to pose as Olivia’s new boyfriend as a cover-up. This ruse with Olivia thrusts Antonio into the spotlight and unexpected chaos.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.8/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film focuses entirely on heteronormative romantic structures. No LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities are explored within the primary plot.

Gender Representation

Good

The story subverts traditional hierarchies by giving the female lead significant economic and social agency. The male lead occupies a subordinate, service-oriented role, challenging the typical provider trope.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Excellent

Centering a Filipino-American protagonist disrupts the genre's historical dominance of Anglo-Saxon leads. The narrative explores the nuances of the immigrant experience within high-society Los Angeles.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The film critiques classism by highlighting the disparity between the service class and the wealthy elite. It frames elite lifestyles as performative and hollow compared to the protagonist's authenticity.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities serving as central plot drivers in this narrative.

Strengths

  • Centering a Filipino-American protagonist provides exceptional representation in a traditionally Anglo-centric genre.
  • Subverts gender hierarchies by placing the female lead in a position of high economic and social agency.
  • Offers a sophisticated critique of classism and the superficiality of high-society institutions.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities.
  • Provides no visible or invisible disability representation within the central plot.
  • Adheres to traditional heteronormative romantic structures throughout the narrative.

AI Analysis

The Valet uses the 'fake dating' trope to examine the friction between different socioeconomic strata. By centering a service-class protagonist, the film shifts the narrative gaze from the elite to the laborer. The film succeeds in diversifying the romantic comedy landscape through intentional casting and the subversion of established power dynamics. It moves beyond simple genre conventions to address class and ethnicity. However, the film remains within mainstream bounds, focusing on heteronormative romance and lacking representation for LGBTQ+ identities or characters with disabilities.

How are these scores produced? →

Featured in

  • Best Racial & Ethnic Representation in Film
  • Racial & Ethnic Representation in Comedy
  • Best Racial & Ethnic Representation of the 2020s

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No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.9 out of 10

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