The 2007 comedy film Knocked Up is designed for the entertainment of today’s youth. While categorized as a romantic comedy, it primarily focuses on comedy. It offers plenty of laughs with its awkward romance and stoner behavior, targeting its intended audience. However, the film also tackles issues that are rarely seen in movies.
Judd Apatow, the director of this film, uses his authority and influence to introduce the main message of Knocked Up. Similar to his previous work, The 40 Year Old Virgin, it is clear that a nice guy can win over a woman and encounter unexpected challenges in the process. Apatow employs comedy in this particular context to present these challenges, leading viewers to consider his unconventional take on unplanned pregnancies in the modern era. Taking place in 2007, Knocked Up revolves around two individuals in their mid 20s who are complete opposites.
After receiving a promotion at work, Alison (portrayed by Katherine Heigl), a career-driven woman, decides to celebrate at a club. It is there that she encounters Ben (portrayed by Seth Rogen), a reckless and unmotivated man, along with his group of stoner friends. As the night progresses and they continue to drink, Alison and Ben wake up in bed together the following morning. Eight weeks later, Alison learns that she is pregnant with Ben’s child, someone who repulsed her when she saw him with sober eyes. Despite her negative opinion of Ben, Alison chooses to keep the baby and embark on a journey that will ultimately bring these two unlikely partners closer.
Ben and Alison’s lives are completely changed when they become parents. Alison secretly hides her pregnancy, risking her career advancement. Meanwhile, Ben faces challenges in finding a job and distancing himself from his carefree lifestyle and friends. The film Knocked Up narrates the consequences that arise from Ben and Alison’s reckless choice of having unprotected sex. It aims to resonate with young audiences by portraying the difficulties of engaging in casual sex without protection in the present-day.
The portrayal of Alison depicts her as a diligent and ambitious young woman, thus making her relatable to similarly career-driven women in the younger demographic. Conversely, Ben is depicted as an indolent and immature individual who spends his time smoking from a bong and browsing the internet for explicit content. This characterization allows Ben to resonate with both men and women in the younger demographic, who not only identify with him but also appreciate the comedic value he brings.
Apatow intentionally creates a contrast between two characters, leading them into a shared complexity that appears to unite them. By juxtaposing these contrasting characters, Apatow effectively appeals to two distinct audiences. Moreover, by incorporating elements reminiscent of cult stoner movies and traditional romantic-comedy films, this movie captivates viewers from both genres. Typically younger in age, these audiences are exposed to Apatow’s unconventional perspectives on Alison’s decision to choose pro-life after her casual encounter.
Knocked Up engages viewers with its entertainment value while introducing them to certain thematic values that are essential to the intended message of the movie. Despite containing explicit sexual scenes and language, the creators of Knocked Up have also incorporated commendable moral values. One noteworthy aspect is the portrayal of the discussion on abortion, which is promptly dismissed. This approach has earned appreciation from Christian groups for promoting a pro-life stance. Knocked Up emphasizes the importance of making a relationship between the mother and father work.
Addressing the theme of parental responsibility and love, Knocked Up tackles the issues of casual sex, abortion, and commitment. However, the creators of the film explicitly dismiss the option of abortion, as they deliberately center their story around Alison’s responsible, pro-life choice.
In today’s abortion debates, this film serves as a tool to support pro-life decisions through the positive portrayal of Alison and Ben’s professional partnership. It highlights the consequences of casual sex and aims for the audience to reflect on and potentially adopt the film’s moral lessons. Alison and Ben are used as an example for the audience to learn from and incorporate into their own lives. Lastly, the film critiques Ben’s drug usage, positioning itself against a drug-induced lifestyle.
Despite its explicitness, the film Knocked Up possesses significant thematic value. This thematic value, which is evident in the film, can be evaluated by considering the historical context in which it was produced. By analyzing its ideology, Knocked Up expresses values and beliefs that are relevant to the present-day and the historical circumstances in which it was made (White 163).
According to the supposition that Knocked Up was produced by and for a specific social group, the cultural expression of this work can be easily understood. The goal of ideological analysis is to grasp how a cultural text embodies and enacts specific values, beliefs, and ideas (White 163). With this in mind, the thematic value previously discussed relies on the cultural framework surrounding the creation and production of this film. Rooted in Marxist theories, ideological analysis incorporates various approaches to evaluate the meaning of a cultural text. It not only assesses the meaning but also how the audience interprets these meanings.
Regarding the impact of advertising on audiences, the presence of advertisements in Knocked Up plays a significant role in reinforcing the economic structures of contemporary society. The film makes use of product endorsements, prominently featuring companies like Google, Xbox 360, and Corona Beers, among others. The selection of these specific products aligns with the cultural context portrayed in the movie.
Furthermore, the cultural context of this work interacts with the social class of every audience member. Each individual’s ideology is influenced by their unique experiences, which position them within specific social hierarchies. These hierarchies shape societal functioning and determine whose interests are prioritized. Consequently, false consciousness occurs when lower-ranking classes adopt the beliefs and values of higher-ranking classes, as portrayed in cultural texts like Knocked Up.
Derived from false consciousness, ideological analysis allows individuals to comprehend how the system perpetuates their oppression (White 165). This form of analysis has prompted various criticisms against false consciousness, leading certain theorists to embrace alternative perspectives on ideology, which include subjectivity, uneven development, and hegemony. Subjectivity pertains to the perception of individuals as a combination of forces and structures that shape their identity, encompassing language, social class, and family organization (White 166).
Subjectivity offers a broader perspective than limited account false consciousness. False consciousness fails to recognize the importance of media outlets and the expressions they convey. In contrast, subjectivity acknowledges the coexistence and conflict of different ideological positions and how individuals interpret them based on their social standing. Furthermore, subjectivity recognizes the entertainment value of media outlets, a factor ignored by false consciousness. A notable example is the film Knocked Up, where each audience member’s social relations shape their understanding of the film’s underlying beliefs.
Depending on their own beliefs, some may interpret the film as promoting pro-life values, while others may see Alison and Ben’s mishaps as endorsing the option of abortion. The film’s ideology depends on an individual’s perspective, whether it aligns with the mainstream or opposes it. The concept of Uneven Development suggests that while the ruling class controls the infrastructure and superstructure, alternative social forms also exist. It is important to note that these conflicting perspectives are not evenly spread within the cultural text (White 167).
Contrary to false consciousness, uneven development acknowledges the possibility of alternative interpretations within a cultural text. In accordance with uneven development, certain cultural texts have the ability to challenge the prevailing status quo by conveying ideological assumptions that do not align with dominant interests. In the film Knocked Up, Ben is depicted as an immature stoner who initially supports his drug use. This diverges from the dominant perspective that portrays Alison as a responsible, young working-class woman.
These contrasting perspectives play off each other throughout the film and are highly disproportionate. Hegemony is utilized to describe how the dominant class maintains control over society (White 167). Hegemony acknowledges the existence of alternative views from the lower social classes but primarily focuses on those of the ruling class. The political and ideological interests of the ruling class hold significant importance in a society. Like false consciousness, hegemony also prioritizes the interests of the dominant class over those in lower social positions.
However, false consciousness does not allow for any alternative voice to be heard, regardless of the acknowledged dominance of the ruling ideology. The movie Knocked Up illustrates a set of beliefs that align with Ben and his friends’ lifestyle. However, these beliefs are considered inferior when compared to the lifestyle advocated by Alison. Both the dominant and alternative perspectives are presented in the film, highlighting the concept of hegemony. This film reinforces specific ideological ideas through its cultural expression, contributing to the overall narrative of Knocked Up.
Analyzing the inconsistencies of false consciousness and ideological analysis is essential in deconstructing the cultural text of Knocked Up. It becomes clear that this movie was made for specific social groups and is therefore shaped by individual cultural interpretations. Since Knocked Up falls into the romantic-comedy genre, certain elements, like Ben’s laid-back personality and the resulting humor, are expected by the target audience.
The static elements that are used as supports to address certain thematic issues to the young demographics watching Knocked Up are guised as a comedy film. The main objective of Knocked Up is to expose audiences to crucial ideologies that are of importance in the present-day.
