Entertainment

Is 'Hot Pursuit' Feminist? The Director Speaks

by Anna Klassen

While there are many differences between 2015's female road comedy Hot Pursuit and any given male buddy comedy, one shining example is what topics the film addresses. Everything from being a female cop in a male-dominated field to using a discussion of menstrual cycles to gross out a couple of dumb dude cops is included. So when I sat down with director Anne Fletcher to talk about the film, I had to ask: Is Hot Pursuit feminist?

The film, starring Oscar-nominated Reese Witherspoon (Wild) and Emmy-nominated Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), surrounds Cooper (Witherspoon), a not-so-able cop who is tasked with keeping the widow of a drug boss safe before she testifies in court. As expected, nothing goes quite as planned, and the audience is in for a wild and oh-so bumpy ride with these two colorful protagonists.

While Fletcher didn't necessarily give me a straight "yes" or "no" on the feminist question, she did talk about the evolution of the female buddy comedy and the significance of both of these female characters living in a man's world.

For further insight, watch the interview below, and catch Hot Pursuit in theaters May 8.

Image: Warner Bros.