2 Movies Like Femme (2023)

Staff & contributors

Chasing the feel of watching Femme ? Here are the movies we recommend you watch right after.

While gay acceptance has been improving in most of the world, unfortunately, this acceptance isn’t universal to all sexualities and queer gender identities, especially for people of color. Femme depicts this difference through the relationship of Jules, a black gay drag queen, and Preston, a white masculine closeted gay drug dealer. As Jules deepens their relationship for revenge, and Preston opens up and allows himself to become more vulnerable, the film explores the way toxic masculinity and violence still dictates most of their dynamic, through an unsettling, sexually charged, stylish approach from the debut co-writers and directors Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping. However, Femme is particularly uneven, more focused on humanizing the aggressor rather than prioritizing the survivor.

So much of Puppy Love is adorable. The title alone promises that, and to be fair, it actually delivers. The movie is filled with romance, pooches, and hijinks that circle back to those two core aspects. I couldn’t be giddier watching this, as a dog lover and romantic comedy aficionado myself, but it’s frustrating how the movie doesn’t go above and beyond its basic premise, even if it easily could’ve done so. It has strong leads in Hale and Gustin, whose chemistry may be lacking but who individually perform well. It has a decent script, “reasonably funny” as it calls itself in the film, delivering amusing and touching lines in equal measure. It even manages to flesh out Nicole and Max with backstories; Max, in particular, gets an interesting characterization as an anxious germaphobe who refuses to go to the office for work. But for whatever reason, every exciting thorn in this premise gets smoothed out by the end. The tension is never realized and loose ends are tied up neatly in a conclusion that feels too simplified for its own good. 

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Actor: Al Miro, Christine Lee, Corey Woods, Grant Gustin, Jane Seymour, Lucy Hale, Michael Hitchcock, Nore Davis, Rachel Risen, Sarah Almonte Peguero

Director: Nicholas Fabiano, Richard Alan Reid

After being blindsided by the trailer, it’s no wonder the newest Mean Girls shocked cinema viewers who were just expecting a rehashed version of the original, rather than a film version of the Broadway musical hit. This version misses some moments, like the iconic four-way phone call, and some of the numbers were staged quite strangely, but all-in-all, this film was not that bad. It still captures the core of the original, making the message of being one’s self more clearer, while making some updates to better match its new and younger audience. Mean Girls might still be trying to make fetch happen, but it’s still fun enough to watch, especially with its talented cast.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Alan Chow, Alexandra Witek, Alexis Frias, Allison Winn, Amann Iqbal, Angourie Rice, Ari Notartomaso, Ashley Park, Auli'i Cravalho, Avantika, Bebe Wood, Ben Heineman, Ben Wang, Brian Altemus, Brooke Johnson, Busy Philipps, Calidore Robinson, Calysta R. Eachus, Camille Umoff, Christopher Briney, Colin J. McTernan, Connor D. Paul, Connor Ratliff, Daniela Cassano, Danielle K. Catalano, Ellena Eshraghi, Emely Moreno, Énola Bédard, Eric Patrick Cameron, Fernell Hogan, Francesca Castro, Gabriella Cila, Garid Garcia, Grace Slear, Grant Harrison Mateo, Ian A. Boyce, Isabella Bria Lopez, Ismael Chino, Izzy Bank, Jake Schwencke, James Jones, Janna Graham, Jaquel Spivey, Jazz Jennings, Jenna Fischer, John El-Jor, Jon Hamm, Jordan Gallimore, Jordi, Joshua M. Baer, Joshua P. Doody, Julien F. Miller, Kasey L. Ericson, Kayla LaVine, Kaylee Kaleinani, Kaylin E. DeGroff, Kelsie Daniels, Lindsay Lohan, Mahi Alam, Malachi I. McLean, Mars Avila, Matilde Heckler, Megan Thee Stallion, Meredith Dunbar, Meryem G. Oldro, Morgen McKynzie, Nahscha, Nia Sioux, Nico A. Varone, Nuri Park, Olivia C. Tona, Orlando A. Galazara, Pierson Wodzynski, Reneé Rapp, Ryan J. Horgan, Samantha R. Borsari, Sean G. Haight, Sofia Dobrushin, Soona Lee-Tolley, Stephanie Mincone, Teresa Kissel, Thomas R. Wilson, Tim Meadows, Timothy S. Fletcher, Tina Fey, Vanessa Merrell, Veronica Merrell-Burriss, Veronica S. Taylor, Victoria G. Russo

Director: Arturo Perez Jr., Samantha Jayne

Rating: PG-13