32 Baby Boy (2001)
Self-Destructive Masculinity in Baby Boy
By Anonymous
Gangster movies have always been one of my favorite film genres with their charismatic and unapologetic characters that rise to the top with their own set of rules. Upon watching the trailer, Baby Boy (2001) seems like another gangster movie that glorifies violence and masculinity while using women as nothing more than sources of drama, sex, and comedy. The charismatic main character Jody will prove himself as the man of his house and hood, and in the words of the trailer, “change the game”. This serves as perfect bait for a movie that leaves quite the opposite impression, one that makes audiences realize the self-destructive power of behaviors typically glorified within these movies.
In reality, Baby Boy is a movie that explores typical notions of masculinity and the effects it has on young men and women exploring adulthood, especially within the African-American community. As its title suggests, the film portrays how typical “manly” characters can be no different than children or ‘baby boys’, consistently dependent on the attention and care of others and too proud to recognize their own shortcomings. Through this angle, Baby Boy is an effective representation of difference, power, and oppression, especially through the use of literary design, cinematography, and mise-en-scene.
Set in the violence-ridden area of south-central Los Angeles, Baby Boy fits in with the many films that director John Singleton uses to reflect on the city he grew up in and life in African-American communities. John Singleton is known for his examination of urban racial tensions and social issues through film, most notably through his Academy Award-winning film Boyz n The Hood (1991) (John Singleton). While Singleton’s movies often explore both racism between groups and intra-community issues, Baby Boy is largely seen as a focus on the latter with its story and use of an all-black cast. Well-renowned American film critic Roger Ebert described Baby Boy as a bold criticism of young black men who live carelessly and the society that pushes them into that niche, he further states, “Baby Boy doesn’t fall back on easy liberal finger-pointing. There are no white people in this movie, no simplistic blaming of others; the adults in Jody’s life blame him for his troubles, and they should” (Ebert). This leaves the film with a unique perspective on adulthood and self-accountability.
Difference is most noticeably depicted in Baby Boy in how it portrays the maturity and roles of men and women. Many of the women in the movie are treated as men’s property, especially through the main character, Jody, who sleeps with multiple women, leeches off his mother and girlfriend, and battles for control over his mother with her boyfriend Melvin. However, rather than portray these female characters as immature and dependent on men, like many films before, Baby Boy portrays women as more mature and self-reliant than any male character in the film. Yvette, Jody’s girlfriend, is the only one in their relationship with a job and is the main caretaker of their son, often sacrificing her own desires to make ends meet. Juanita, Jody’s mother, is very young herself but possesses a higher level of maturity and self-reliance, offering advice to many characters throughout the film. In her book, Women and Film, Professor of English and Cultural Analysis, E. Ann Kaplan, provides an interesting analysis of female objectification in the movie Camille (1936) that can be compared to Baby Boy, stating:
The dominating power of the male gaze, while often, as in this case, adoring, carries with it an economic and social superiority which results in a demanding authority over women. Made to function as an erotic object, a woman must sacrifice her desire to that of the male other, helping to preserve patriarchy by submitting herself to its Law. Both economically and sexually vulnerable, women, as Camille proves, need the protection of certain men against their vulnerability to other men. Any attempts at subjectivity must be at the cost of fulfilling desire. (Kaplan 5).
As the main male character, Jody is a 20-year-old who refuses to grow up, leave the house, find a job, and raise his children. He is often completely unable to take responsibility for his actions due to his pride, even when confronted by Yvette for cheating on her, often playing the victim when confronted. Subtle measures are taken to further shape Jody’s appearance as a child throughout the movie, such as his use of a bicycle, or his playing with toy cars that are showcased in his bedroom. Just like a child is defensive of their toys, Jody gets defensive whenever the women in his life form connections with other men, as we see with Juantia and her boyfriend Melvin.
Arguably, the only “grown-up” male character in the movie is Melvin, who tries to extend respect toward Jody out of respect for his mother and showcases accountability. One such example of this includes when he is confronted for tampering with Juanita’s garden, and apologizes by simply stating “I’m sorry, I made a mistake, it won’t happen again”(01:36:00). At the end of the movie, Jody becomes a “man” when he finally commits to caring for his family and putting his false sense of pride aside. This portrayal of difference is a critique of men who are unable to take on responsibilities and be accountable due to their sense of masculinity. It is also a critique of the expectation that women must mature faster and set aside personal desires to raise a family while men can continue to explore. The men and women in this film go through the same pressures but react differently based on social expectations placed on them. It’s only when both sides can see and understand each other’s experiences, that they can move forward together.
Power and powerlessness are central ideas explored through the lens of masculinity within Baby Boy. Film scholars Harry Benshoff and Sean Griffin briefly dive into the pressures of masculine ideals in their book America on Film stating:
Some men become so conditioned by those ideals that they are unable to form intimate relationships. Other men ignore signs of illness and suffer silently, leading to increased mortality rates for men over women. Some men feel tremendous pressure to be “good providers” for wives and families, and they may develop serious doubts about their self-worth if they are not as wealthy or famous as the next man (Benshoff 260).
Jody and his friend Sweetpea showcase many experiences of self-doubt and powerlessness due to their ideas of masculinity. Throughout the film, Jody shows clear interest and hopes of being a good provider for his children in the way he interacts with his son and daughter, so why is it that he avoids these responsibilities? Early in the movie, we see him have a nightmare of getting killed in the streets, envisioning his mother, girlfriend, and children crying at his funeral. Jody is scared of becoming a man and what his family could go through if he fails his responsibilities as one, so he remains in his child-like state where he feels a sense of power and control. The cinematography and mise-en-scene constantly showcase how his power is constrained to that of a child, for example, picturing him among children when he is forced to ride his bike or when he displays his “manhood” by beating up teenagers who robbed him. In the adult world, Jody is often shot from a high angle, showing his lack of power like a cornered animal.
Sweetpea, a much more masculine character in terms of a hardened demeanor, showcases similar issues throughout the movie. As a man who has no immediate family, he has a hard time expressing his intimate feelings toward his girlfriend Kim and her mother who he considers his new family, coming off as aggressive and insincere. In a scene shortly after, Sweetpea opens up to Jody, expressing his discontent with being unemployed stating:
“Sneaking around Kim and her momma like I’m a child. Like I’m a scared little boy. I have to ask my woman and her momma for money. How do you think that makes me feel? Think I feel like a man? This shit is tearing me up, cuz. It’s eating me alive. I don’t want to end up killing nobody.” (00:51:30).
Both Jody and Sweetpea are struggling to find self-worth in their own ideals of masculinity and both fear the expectations for men in the violence-filled streets of South Central Los Angeles where many black men revert to crime and gang affiliation. We see their fears come true after they kill Rodney, a man who tried to rape Yvette, leading to Jody’s mental breakdown at the end of the movie. This experience leads to the most growth within Jody, his vulnerability allows him to interact with Melvin who empowers Jody to take responsibility and address his own complex emotions, leading him on a path to true power through responsibility and emotional growth.
Baby Boy depicts multiple forms of oppression both directly and indirectly, such as socioeconomic, racial, gender, and psychological oppression. The setting of South Central Los Angeles is portrayed as a place where Black people face social and economic challenges. Limited economic opportunities for young Black men are showcased through Jody and several other men trying to sell items on the street, unable to secure legitimate jobs. Indirect references to racial stereotypes are shown through Jody, Melvin, Sweetpea, and Rodney whose masculinity revolves around being tough or criminalized in the violence and gang-ridden area. The lack of positive male role models showcases oppression through family dynamics as young men struggle to define themselves in the adult world, a problem that has turned into a common stereotype for African Americans. Gendered oppression is displayed in how women are expected to be self-sufficient and endure emotional neglect in family life while men are given room to act irresponsibly. Lastly, Jody’s internalized psychological oppression accelerates these problems as his avoidance of responsibility prevents him from breaking free from the cycle. The split between his lack of self-worth and immature pride showcases how his environment has stunted his emotional development.
I chose Baby Boy because I believe it displays a lot of important issues that young men and women face today with expectations and responsibilities. I once relied on the same childish behavior that Jody does to solve his problems within the movie, leading to an inability to be responsible and accountable for my actions. As a way to compensate, I shifted to the typical stoic and aggressive form of masculinity, which led to other problems such as emotional detachment and trouble forming intimate relationships. I have matured beyond that point in my life, but I see my friends going through the same experiences I once did, and I can’t help but feel concerned. Although my experiences are not as extreme as those displayed in Baby Boy, I relate to the film in a way.
The 2001 film Baby Boy is a fascinating piece of work that uses literary design, cinematography, and mise-en-scene to challenge the audiences’ perception of what constitutes masculinity and how society creates these perceptions. Our desires for power, wealth, and fame often lead us to believe that aggression, risk-taking, and pride are the correct ways to obtain it. However, these behaviors can be nothing more than childish tantrums, irresponsibility, and self-absorption. Unstable environments can lead young men to lack the emotional development to identify this problem, making them unable to fully function as productive members of society. These behaviors continue to cycle and perpetuate structures of patriarchy and racism across households and communities. Baby Boy can be seen as all the more relevant by many in today’s society, making it a highly recommended watch.
References
Benshoff, Harry M., and Sean Griffin. America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2009.
“John Singleton.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 25 Oct. 2024, www.britannica.com/biography/John-Singleton.
Kaplan, E. Ann. Women and Film, Taylor & Francis Group, 1990. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/linnbenton-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3060342
