We all love a strong-willed woman, but what’s at stake in their pursuit of perfection
As the eldest daughter, I strived to take the higher road and become a role model for my sister. She couldn’t see me falter. She was only allowed to see how I built myself from clay to an astonishing sculpture that cannot be deformed. Little did she know that like clay, I had to reconstruct and deconstruct myself until I was all bent and fragile.
Perfectionism is described as seeking flawlessness and being highly critical when that bar is not met. The depiction of perfectionism in films remains grounded but often overlooked. There are actually three types of perfectionism, and these movies have different takes on female perfectionism that will help us understand it better:
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Socially prescribed perfectionism: “I, Tonya” (2017)
Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) lives a hard life trying to seek validation from others, specifically from her mother LaVona Golden. She works hard to perfect her craft. Still, she is physically and verbally abused by her own mother—and as a figure skater, the brutal criticism of judges.
With her upbringing and environment, Tonya embodies a socially prescribed female perfectionism who lives up to external standards for validation. People under this type of perfectionism feel an immense amount of pressure to be the best while in constant fear of rejection.
Self-oriented perfectionism: “Black Swan” (2010)
Young, innocent Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) desires to be the lead of “Swan Lake,” playing both contrasting roles of Odette and Odile. As she transforms into the alluring and confident Black Swan, Nina’s vision of reality and herself is overwhelmed by the thought of perfecting the part. In an attempt to challenge herself to higher standards and to be critical of herself when she fails, Nina exhibits self-oriented perfectionism.
Her fear of mediocrity is symbolized by her mother, a former ballerina who never achieved significant success in her career. When Nina gets accepted for the lead part of the play, obstacles rush in after obstacles. She sheds her child-like innocence—the characteristic perfectly fit for Odette—to become the seductive Black Swan. Nina’s descent into madness, as fueled by her pursuit of greatness, perfects her role as the Black Swan—an absolute sacrifice for a fleeting moment of perfection.
Other-oriented perfectionism: “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006)
Editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) runs the tightest of ships. She’s the textbook epitome of other-oriented female perfectionism, the kind that expects from others and is highly judgmental of their performance. One of the prominent scenes in the movie is the mayhem that comes before her arrival at work. Employees panic as they put on lipsticks and their shoes, tidy up meeting rooms, and prepare their materials waiting to be critiqued by her.
This specific scene portrays how Miranda influences her environment and her expectation for perfection drives her entire staff to be better than who they are. As a boss, she fosters an environment where her employees live in a constant state of terror. Though, on a positive note, Miranda’s expertise and meticulous persona influence Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Anne Hathaway) as seen with how she gradually strives for excellence throughout the movie.
These perfectly imperfect characters have one common ground: their pursuit of greatness and excellence. With how women are usually depicted by the media as damsels in distress, prim and proper, and traditional trophy wives, it’s a relief how empowered women finally have their representations in movies as thriving, driven women.
But, let’s not forget how our pursuit of perfection can be clouded when not balanced with sufficient care for our well-being. Notions of obsession and perfectionism become apparent as we grow absorbed in our passions. And it is crucial to avoid veering too far off the cliff and losing our sense of who we are. It isn’t worth it.