The most significant turning point in my middle school career came when I read Carl Hiassen’s Skinny Dip. The plot follows a funny and sharp-witted wife who fakes her death when her moronic husband attempts to murder her. She pulls a series of epic pranks and unapologetically seeks the vengeance she deserves. That fateful read-through in the seventh grade introduced me to the Female Revenge Story, and I was never, ever turning back. Since then, I’ve found an undeniably entertaining lineup of narratives that fit this category, and I’m thrilled to share some of my favorites with you:

Midsommar (2019)

We’re off to a strong start with this nightmarish nail-biter. I’m certainly not the biggest fan of horror, but I enjoyed this movie a lot. The story examines a deteriorating relationship in a way I found delightfully unconventional. Director, Ari Aster, creatively nails the aestheticization of horror and I was glued to his work for the whole two-hour run time. Love it or hate it, the ending evokes a perturbing satisfaction that stayed with me long after the credits rolled. 

The Parent Trap (1961 and 1998)

I’m including this movie in such an esteemed list because, although it may not be a gory murder of a tyrannical male, these pranks are such a good time. Both versions have iconic moments of sweet revenge, and the best portrayal of summer camp I’ve seen. 

Working Girl (1988)

Indian Springs Choir Sings Working Girl Theme

Working Girl is an 80’s blast about a young woman developing her professional career (along with her sense of self) while she gets back at her villainous boss. There’s an epic moment where she gets a haircut over her bathroom sink under the reasoning that “if you want to be taken seriously you have to have serious hair.” 

Carrie (1976)

This prom scene walked so that “Radio Rebel” (2012) could run. 

Mother! (2017)

Mother! is a slow burn that forces you to experience an allegory in the most brutal way possible. It alternates between beautifully casual moments to extreme violence, and its ending is a whirlwind of shock, disgust, and a massive fist-pump for Jennifer Lawrence. 

Virginia addresses this film in greater depth here.

Hustlers (2019)

Watching Jennifer Lopez and co. scam Wall Street employees is incredible. My only speculation is that you have to see it for yourself. 

9 to 5 (1980)

Another phenomenal group of ladies absolutely killing it in the workforce. It has a stellar cast and is everything Working Girl wishes it could be. 

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

You’ll notice I use “revenge” pretty loosely throughout this list; its definition can entail getting even with corrupt bosses or vile stepmothers, but its applications can be much broader. The Silence of the Lambs is my favorite horror movie by a long shot, and the protagonist, Clarice (played by Jodie Foster), is a masterfully written character who is driven by revenge. In The Silence of the Lambs, Clarice is coping with traumatic childhood experiences and relentlessly pursuing a mission of bringing abductors to justice. Microaggressions are well woven in and Clarice handles the discomfort with poise. Clarice is courageous yet vincible and deserves nothing but the best.

Thelma and Louise (1991)

I cannot praise this movie enough. A well-illustrated female friendship paired with a great road trip is easy to love. 

Kill Bill Vols. 1 and 2 (2003 and 2004)

The Kill Bill movies take the cake when it comes to female revenge and is thus worthy of my final pen strokes. I’m including both volumes because according to Tarantino it’s all one film. Kill Bill uses motherhood as a beautiful catalyst for many entertaining fight sequences and pulls off so many creative ideas. I love everything about its premise, and its execution does not disappoint. 

Thank you for tuning in; I hope you found some movie recommendations that suit your liking. It’s films like the ones I’ve mentioned above that masterfully shift stereotypes and overturn traditional tropes that I find the most impactful. I love this genre to my core, as the importance of female anger is often underrated and misrepresented. Female rage can often be diminished to female hysteria or over-emotionality, but allowing a character access to her full range of emotion is empowering, and should be portrayed in movies as an attribute rather than abnormal. I hope Hollywood will continue to value movies that give its characters the emotional dexterity they deserve.