Historically, mainstream cinema relegated women’s relationships to the periphery, usually framing them through their mutual connection to a man. Girlfriends
Of course, the genre has its flaws. Early iterations were often heteronormative, whitewashed, and obsessed with marriage as the ultimate prize. However, modern evolutions like Booksmart , The Farewell , or Girls Trip have expanded the tent. These new girlfriend films acknowledge that the "girlfriend" can be a sister, a cousin, a coworker, or a rival. They show that the stakes of a friendship breakup can hurt as much as a romantic divorce. girlfriends films