The Use Of Satire in Comedy Films

Many comedy films introduce societal problems throughout the plot using satire. Satire is using exaggeration and humor to ridicule and expose flaws in today’s society. Using this device, films enable people to learn a message through laughing and making fun of a certain problem.

A popular comedy film is the movie Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, by Jake Kasdan. This movie is classified as a comedy as it has laughable scenes and an interesting plot. Four high school students get sucked into a video game and have to work through the amusing yet difficult hardships they face together.

Continuing, this film represents its time as it introduces the use of technology, mannerisms and actions that would occur in today’s world. This makes the plot even more interesting as it can be compared to the realistic life of a teenager. This film emphasizes the way people treat each other, the building of friendships, and the stereotypes that people are given.

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This film highlights and explains how these realistic problems can affect a person throughout their life. By being transformed into a completely opposite video game character, compared to their real life image, the four teenagers are able to become confident, honest and fun in a way they feel like they couldn’t before being sucked into the video game. This change in physical aspects as well as personality, enables to character to be their true self without the pressure, embarrassment and label that they have outside the video game. Satire is used throughout the whole movie, as the characters are changed into a video game character that is immensely different from their real life image.

This creates a satirical effect as individuals have an acquired status throughout society, which can create a label such as being superior to another person, popular or nerdy.

Another well liked movie is Clueless, by Amy Heckerling. This movie explains the life of a rich and popular teenager who struggles through high school. Cher, the main character goes on a comedic journey as she finds that the world does not revolve around her and that there is more to life than boyfriends, money and popularity. This movie represents its decade as well as today’s in the way that people still scare about the opinions of others and how they are perceived. This film brings attention to problems in society that still happen currently such as the stereotypical labels that are given to an individual by society as well as how friendships can be made by unexpected people. Cher is faced with a difficult decision of befriending a girl that is not preppy and privileged and must come to terms with her priorities in life.

Both of these comedy movies have a light hearted and positive mood. These films introduce comedy and satire in similar ways as they both are based on common situations throughout society and life. Although, each movie focuses the satire on different groups of people, the four high school students and Cher, these films have many similarities that bring light to these societal flaws. Both films explore how an individual’s personality, behavior and action scan have an effect on themselves and others. Also, both films focus on ideas such as unexpected friendships and the labels or stereotypes that are given to a specific type of person.