Review by Booklist Review
While the #MeToo movement shone a light on sexual predation in Hollywood, allegations against people like Harvey Weinstein are just one among numerous manifestations of the industry's hostility toward women. Writer and producer Jones draws on data, personal experience, and interviews with industry professionals to reveal the systemic sexism that continues to shut women out of film. While the industry is competitive for everyone, men still comprise the majority of Hollywood decision-makers, and they remain likely to give more jobs, more funding, and more opportunities to other men in spite of the fact that statistics show that female-led films produce a higher return on investment. For women of color, trans women, and women with disabilities, the obstacles are even greater. But while Jones is clear-eyed about the problems women face in film, she is also optimistic about the future, identifying strategies to create more inclusive movies and highlighting the work of those endeavoring to change the industry. Well-written, passionate, and occasionally shocking, this urgent and necessary book will appeal to film buffs and feminists alike.--Jenny Hamilton Copyright 2020 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Actor and filmmaker Jones debuts with a timely look at how women are undervalued in Hollywood, on and off the screen. She analyzes the dominance of the "male gaze" in how movies are shot, and shares demoralizing experiences as an actor, such as being given a litany of physical changes--to her hair, weight, teeth--she needed to make. Meanwhile, a male peer whom she interviews recalls only being urged to exercise a little more by his agent. Disgusted with the roles she was offered, Jones turned to filmmaking. Though her 2014 debut as a writer and filmmaker, Imagine I'm Beautiful, won distribution--a "very big deal" for an "$80,000 movie made by unknown filmmakers"--she's disappointed to discover it opens no doors. She finds her experience common; while inexperienced male directors are offered big-budget films, women scramble for funding and opportunities. Despite such prominent success stories as directors Ava DuVernay and Patty Jenkins, Jones cautions readers that Hollywood still has far to go in changing its ways. She spotlights social media's importance, discussing how being able to directly raise funds and win fans online is key to changing a retrograde corporate culture. Film viewing will never be the same after reading Jones's insightful look at the reality of being female in Tinseltown. (Feb.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Long denied equal opportunities as filmmakers, directors, producers, writers, actors, and cinematographers, women in Hollywood have also endured abuse by those in power. In this carefully researched book, Jones discusses the roadblocks she encountered as an independent film producer, screenwriter, and actor, and interviews other women with similar experiences. She offers data and informative commentary on the disproportionately low number of women in defining positions within the industry and explores the cultural impact of women's objectification both on screen and off. But despite the grim realities, Jones foresees a brighter future. Her own filmmaking ventures are just one example of the increasing numbers of women outside the mainstream studios who are organizing talented creative teams and financial and distribution strategies. Extensive resources (graphs, tables, lists, and notes) add context. VERDICT An intriguing read about how influence works in the film industry, for people in it; also relevant for the way it spun conversations around #MeToo.--Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An investigation of how the male-dominated film industry silences women's stories.Drawing on more than 100 hours of interviews and abundant studies and news articles, actress, writer, and producer Jones makes her book debut with a spirited critique of the film industry's treatment of women at all levels. "I have lived and experienced the harassment, the casual dismissals, the closed doors, the patronizing head-pats, the blatant sexism, the indifference toward women in film for over a decade," she writes, mounting compelling evidence that her experiences are widespreadand persist even after #MeToo, #OscarsSoWhite, and the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Fresh out of drama school, Jones knew she would have to spend a few years "furiously battling to get auditions" and working for little or no money in order to build a resume. She soon discovered that along with competition and disappointment, "sexual harassment, assault, and degradation make up the constant, thrumming, crushing backdrop of being an actress." With men predominant as casting directors, agents, directors, and producers, she found that when trying out for a part, she was "being held up against a set of stereotypes of the type of women who are allowed to appear in films and on television" and "make sense to the creators and gatekeepers." Frustrated as an actress, she faced gender discrimination, as well, as a film producer. Female film school graduates, argues the author, "have a far harder time than their male peers acquiring even the lowest-level entry jobs in the industry," meaning less access to financial support and networking. Women behind the camera, moreover, have "to fight to command the respect from typically majority-male crews." Sexism directly affects film's cultural impact: Since 95% of movies have been directed by white men, the images they perpetuate "have shaped everybody's cinematic visual language," turning women into the objects of male protagonists' "actions, desires, and gaze[s]." Jones offers concrete suggestions for change within and outside of the industry, including by filmgoers who should "vote with your dollars."A bold, convincing call for new voices and perspectives in cinema. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
