Anyone else tired of how modern age movies heavily portray the dad or husband as an incompetent idiot?

Working_Inspector_39 · 2025-08-08T19:40:31+00:00

You know a dad in a film is going to die if he's portrayed sympathetically and is a caring and loved father.

wingedhussar161 · 2025-08-08T19:31:21+00:00

Yes; this is one reason I got into King of the Hill. Because Hank Hill is a capable provider and father with a good head on his shoulders, and the show often portrays him as being “right” when there are family conflicts.

aries0413 · 2025-08-08T19:26:47+00:00

Modern movies, television, commercials...hell even fricken comics.

No_Leather3994 · 2025-08-08T21:28:04+00:00

Yeah ever since I noticed this it soured a lot of movies for me.

It always feels very targeted or the men have to learn from the women. I can't think of a single movie or show with a flipped dynamic apart from Alvin and the Chipmunks.

But it's not just making men dumb. Men that were previously heroic in their new live action adaptions are also getting 'neutered'

Peter Pan and Wendy, she slaps him, he has to learn to listen to women (like that's an actual plot) and Wendy is just a Mary Sue who can sword fight grown pirates.

Maleficent, they made the father the villain and the Prince isn't even needed. He doesn't fight any dragon, he doesn't even wake Aurora with true love kiss.

Little Mermaid, Eric kills Ursula in the live action one Ariel does.

For Thor...his kingdom is now governed by a woman who calls herself King. Then another woman gets his mantle as mighty thor.

Even in Young Justice, Mera Aquaman's wife is the true King (not queen but King for some reason) of Atlantis due to a Prophecy and he goes on about how she's a perfect leader even though it's his throne and birthright. Him being king is meant so symbolise Atlantis and the Surface world being linked as he's half human. That felt so ridiculous.

Its hard not to notice.

63daddy · 2025-08-08T20:09:36+00:00

And that’s just one example. Consider how many movies portray POTUS and other leaders as virtuous women while men are either incompetent, corrupt or criminals. Single women are often portrayed as being able to defeat an entire squad of trained men in single hand combat.

I think in some ways this is worse than obvious misandry, because this less obvious, but consistent anti-male portrayal impacts perceptions.

Saintly_Bovine · 2025-08-08T19:35:07+00:00

And the thing is, this comes around and bites women in the ass in the end! If a man is too stupid to do anything, the responsibility falls to the woman.

IAPiratesFan · 2025-08-08T19:44:16+00:00

I would be tired of it if I actually watched any modern movies. I pretty much quit going to and watching modern movies when Covid started.

Brat6609 · 2025-08-08T19:28:26+00:00

it's a concerted effort to portray men as lesser than they are and to beat them down vis-a-vis women. They see it as a zero-sum game, these feminists.

shingaladaz · 2025-08-08T19:42:33+00:00

It’s considered “up-punch” “humour”, and it’s pathetic.

gnuban · 2025-08-08T19:25:02+00:00

Yup.

Same_Sentence_3470 · 2025-08-08T20:33:05+00:00

I stopped watching movies because of the sexism of men and the male nudity. They are all made for women. It doesn’t bother me that this is entertaining to women but it doesn’t appeal to me so I stopped watching. Women would be outraged and the movies would change immediately if the roles were reversed.

Winter-Marionberry91 · 2025-08-08T21:04:52+00:00

Yep, I have noticed it too.

It is calculated control. Over time, families stop trusting a father’s ability to lead, which opens the door for outside influences to take over. This applies to both his wife and his kids. The family is being quietly disarmed, and most people do not even realize it.

The poison is subtle, but it is destroying families, and many will be lost in this battle. I am not here to take away anyone’s love, but in today’s society, if you are single, the safest choice is to stay that way. If that is not possible, look for someone deeply traditional who avoids gossip circles like the news, social media, and even modern movies. These women are often labeled “oppressed” by feminists, so you will both be called names anyway.

Everyone, in some sense, serves a master. Some people understand this and choose wisely. Others think they are free, only to end up serving someone who does not care about them. That is most of society today, listening to a boss for a paycheck instead of to their father, who only wanted them to succeed in life without cost and maybe even with great gain. 🤷‍♂️

It's not for nothing, that the father is painted as incapable, it's all apart of the strategy. They are over all after the kids themselves though, but you have to disarm the father and cuddle the wife to get to them. They are very successful unfortunately and they will continue to whitewash this as for woman, equality, and freedom. Will all be in mental and physically shackles before everyone sees it.

xSlaynx · 2025-08-08T20:43:49+00:00

They are always portrayed either stupid or evil, and if there is one remotely good or decent guy, he will die early in the show

tacticalslacker · 2025-08-08T22:42:42+00:00

This has been going on for decades

SchalaZeal01 · 2025-08-08T19:37:52+00:00

Young Sheldon has Sheldon as intelligent, and his father surprisingly too (given old Shelton description of him as a misogynist dumb guy), while his mother is the most irrational most of the time.

brimstn · 2025-08-08T21:49:38+00:00

Modern? It's been this way for years and years now.

ekurisona · 2025-08-08T22:59:55+00:00

And the fact this trope is so old and tired - it's been decades

True-Lychee · 2025-08-08T23:36:03+00:00

And advertisements. The stupid bumbling husband or boyfriend screwing up a simple task while the woman solves the problem with x or y product.

Mitsuki_Amahara · 2025-08-08T23:59:33+00:00

It mainly reflects the tastes of the establishment and women: mindless sheep that will think and do what they're told. Women will want an easily dominated man at first until they realize that a weak, harmless man won't singlehandedly provide the comfortable life they want. At best, he'll be a convenient piggy bank, but more often he will be an embarrassing mention at wine parties when she's in her 40s.

There's also a double standard of women in movies committing conventionally evil things like genocide, matricide or fratricide to gain despotic power being seen as good. The establishment is comfortable with women wielding power over men in society because they believe that women are naturally more conformist than men as is demonstrated in corporate culture. The women are useful as slave whips.

Cindylynn43 · 2025-08-09T00:18:32+00:00

I'm tired of all of the propaganda in the entertainment industry and the news channels. I'd rather watch old tv series or movies.

Different-Product-91 · 2025-08-09T07:01:49+00:00

It is not limited to dads and husbands. Just another example: Male nudity is invariably presented as something hilarious and ridiculous in movies, while we are supposed to find every suggestion of female nudity erotic.

Fortspucking · 2025-08-09T07:09:24+00:00

Women make something like 80%+ of all consumer spending decisions. The person most likely to veto spending decisions is the primary breadwinner. Who is the hardest to buy for in the family? Usually the dad. By portraying them as dumb, feckless, etc, they plant the notion that the male's opinion shouldn't matter.

Lets_Remain_Logical · 2025-08-08T21:10:12+00:00

Ahahaha. I am.not paying anymore. No Netflix,no Hollywood. And everyone should stop paying for that propagandiste shit. And they will blame you. Wait... They are already blaming men or people for not coming to support (very bad quality movies)!

mrmensplights · 2025-08-09T05:27:49+00:00

Another thing I noticed. In a lot of media these days redemption is only for women. If men commit evil then that is what they are, women can commit evil but can be redeemed.

Another.. often if men aren't portrayed as buffoons then they are portrayed as the corrupt, tired, old guard who need to pass the banner on before fading away.

MRA-automatron-2kb · 2025-08-09T04:50:33+00:00

I'm barely watching any TV anymore because I've endured the anti male agenda for decades on tv and in the past in the print media. I watch youtube where I get to see and listen to intelligent men who aren't tv tugs and who have something intelligent to show me. I'm surprised at all the criticisms about women on youtube even by women such as Emily King and Sara Eaton and there are lots of videos about men not dating women anymore due to feminism.

dougpschyte · 2025-08-09T05:58:36+00:00

It's inconvenient and potentially dangerous for a political minority, as men are, to be vastly more talented and economically productive than the majority, who will be birthing and 'educating' the next generation of consumers.

Acknowledgement of the facts might make the majority feel less secure and smug.

Cue blanket character assassination on the male of the species by the feminist political/media complex, all the way to the UN.

The-Viking7890 · 2025-08-09T11:08:17+00:00

The father might as well be wearing a red shirt.

alter_furz · 2025-08-09T11:27:54+00:00

I GUESS it was at first "funny", because "unexpected"="funny", men were expected to be competent, smart, etc.

At this point, nowadays, it can't be considered funny from a linguistical analysis standpoint: it's expected, so not funny.

Linguistically speaking it's trite.

And if trite things keep getting pushed, you know you are dealing with an agenda.

bifewova234 · 2025-08-08T20:41:48+00:00

Homer Simpson

Petrarch1603 · 2025-08-09T00:37:25+00:00

The 90s show Home Improvement epitomizes this phenomenon.

dougpschyte · 2025-08-09T06:51:57+00:00

Women made incursion into the workplace.

That workplace included media and politics.

They now have a cope for their Ressentiment.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ressentiment#:~:text=According%20to%20their%20use%2C%20ressentiment,of%20blame%20for%20one's%20frustration

Icy-Picture-192 · 2025-08-09T15:39:06+00:00

Exactly why I stopped really watching tv. Their pushing this agenda that men are less then and women are the ones that hold everything down. Just about everything in media is geared towards women.

It's insulting to all the men who are constantly going unappreciated. Who are busting their backsides keeping everything around us working.

Same_Paramedic_3329 · 2025-08-09T16:49:31+00:00

It's actually freaking ridiculous.

2025-08-08T19:30:52+00:00

I've stopped watching western movies and watch Japanese and Korean movies. They're so so so good

Sitheral · 2025-08-08T19:38:37+00:00

Eh, its whatever. You look around you in the real world and you know its quite the opposite anyway. They can't change reality with movies.

Midnite00Blue · 2025-08-08T20:50:47+00:00

I think you are just more aware up it

Salamadierha · 2025-08-09T00:12:42+00:00

For a long long time now.

josh11915 · 2025-08-09T00:13:48+00:00

I have found that watching older eastern European and Balkan movies with English subtitles is a nice change.

FarOpportunity-1776 · 2025-08-09T01:08:09+00:00

Modern??national lampoon vacation came out in 83!

Malow · 2025-08-09T03:04:30+00:00

Bill Maher that said something like "men are always the bubling ugly idiot that can't do anything properly, and the women is the amazing one and the guy makes clear he is lucky to have her"

and in movies, the young girl is the natural genius, and they make it clear by saying multiple times ad nauseam

empowerment means push women up while push men down.

Adm8792 · 2025-08-09T05:05:57+00:00

Yeah been tired of it

supercujo · 2025-08-09T09:37:45+00:00

And ads that use the phrase 'silly daddy'

barrel-boy · 2025-08-10T03:25:33+00:00

Yeeeeeah how about showing some of the idiot mum's too

Elieftibiowai · 2025-08-08T19:53:36+00:00

Depends how you view it. Jerry from Rick and portraied as such if you will, but is a comfortable side, a sensible man that has different qualities then the typical alpha male that fights and fixes everything. He's more of a man than any The Rock role is from my viewpoint. Passive doesn't mean unintelligent.

isisishtar · 2025-08-09T00:58:01+00:00

Women make the decisions about where money is spent, and women prefer a story where women are in control. Hence doofy dad.

wolfpanzer · 2025-08-08T19:48:25+00:00

It's just a trope re-used ad infinitum. In the old days black men were portrayed as bumbling fools (Steppin Fetchit etc). We moved past that and we will move past other tropes.

outdoorsy-man · 2025-08-08T23:38:59+00:00

Many of these troupes were created in the 90s by male writers, trying to wrap my head around that. Like the Simpsons

Jake0024 · 2025-08-08T21:01:44+00:00

That was much more common in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s than it is today. Pick basically any family sitcom from that era and you'll find a Homer Simpson style father figure, with notable exceptions like Roseanne and Fresh Prince.

Modern film is much more balanced.

Training-Celery3946 · 2025-08-08T23:16:02+00:00

Also just the lack of a dad or male figure all together. Hell I feel like nowadays most movies with families are really just single parent families, whether its a single mom or dad. Its weird.

medalxx12 · 2025-08-10T13:08:57+00:00

The new speak no evil w james mcavoy was the absolute most painful example ive seen. Theres a scene where the husband and wife are in danger, and the husband is cowering in the corner in fetal position and his wife his shaming him to get up while shes going room to room with a gun. Its so obviously some weird propaganda and i think i’m on the wrong sub to speak openly about whos behind it

nick012000 · 2025-08-11T07:44:28+00:00

I think there's probably a few action movies that buck the trend. I've never seen it outside of a few memes of the "particular set of skills" scene, but checking Wikipedia, it looks like Taken probably fits the bill.

Also, from what I can remember, I think Shrek manages to buck the trend? Shrek is a slob, but part of the comedy is that Fiona isn't really any better.

CarlosMarcosApproved · 2025-08-29T00:10:09+00:00

The same with commercials. The husband is always portrayed as an immature, irresponsible, dumbass. It’s so fucked up.

Master-Glove-9358 · 2025-09-23T23:07:24+00:00

Love this. Especially b/c its true for both sexes. I have always hated seeing women being sexualized, dehumanized, dumbified down, etc. The stereotypical dumb blond and the stereotypical smart man in films have led to swap in gender roles as gender roles are reinforced by society and media profits. I guess women felt the same as we do now. Sucks for all humans being portrayed as stereotypes. I wish it didn't exist. Sadly it does for both genders.

TheREALAnino · 2025-08-09T01:30:20+00:00

To be fair, female characters are either portrayed as overly emotional or control-freakish. Stereotyped caricatures of real social dynamics are not meant to be taken seriously, as it is a sitcom (intended for humor).

Murakami8000 · 2025-08-08T19:38:58+00:00

I don’t find it all that outrageous. Some of the funniest characters in the history of sitcoms have been these types of men - I’m thinking of Hal (Brian Cranston) from Malcolm In the Middle or Phil from Modern Family. Both arguably the funniest on each of those shows.

Elieftibiowai · 2025-08-08T19:53:15+00:00

Depends how you view it. Jerry from Rick and portraied as such if you will, but is a comfortable side, a sensible man that has different qualities then the typical alpha male that fights and fixes everything. He's more of a man than any The Rock role is from my viewpoint. Passive doesn't mean unintelligent.

Title	Anyone else tired of how modern age movies heavily portray the dad or husband as an incompetent idiot?
Author	Ok_Flounder4461
Upvotes	610
Comments	72
Date	August 8, 2025 7:21 PM UTC (11 months ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/1ml4fcd/anyone_else_tired_of_how_modern_age_movies/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/anyone-else-tired-of-how-modern-age-movies-heavily.1559161 https://theredarchive.com/post/1559161

Comments