Saturday, 18 September 2021 19:35

D.E.B.S.

D.E.B.S.

US, 2004, Colour.
Sara Foster, Jordana Brewster, Meagan Good, Holland Taylor, Michael Clarke Duncan, Devon Aoki, Jimmi Simpson, Jill Ritchie.
Directed by Angela Robinson.

The synopsis from the official website sets the tone as well as outlining the plot:
Recruited by the U.S. government for their unique ability to lie, cheat and fight, Amy, Max, Janet and Dominique join an underground academy of secret agents known only as D.E.B.S. These crime fighting hotties set out to save the world and keep their lipstick perfectly applied while doing so. Now the girls must combine their skills for their most important mission- to capture vexing vixen Lucy Diamond, the deadliest criminal the world has ever known. When D.E.B.S. star player, Amy, falls for Lucy, chaos erupts and the D.E.B.S. loyalty is put to the test. Written by D.E.B.S. Offcial Site.
This is a comic-strip action adventure targeting young girls. It is a tongue-in-cheek variation on Charlie’s Angels with the DEBS graduates being called to special missions by the officer in charge, Holland Taylor, backed by her assistant, surprisingly, Michael Clarke Duncan.
The girls are in the glamour business, like Charlie’s Angels, high school style. Amy (Sarah Foster), gets top marks and is considered the star of the group. There is a sassy African-American? would-be the leader, Meagan Good. There is also a member who is not so successful but would like to be and gets tangled with the opposition, Janet (Jill Ritchie).
However, the dynamic star of the show is played vigorously by Jordana Brewster. She is the inheritor of an illegal empire and is a determined villain and assassin. She is assisted by an oddball, joking, off- sider played by Jimmi Simpson.
It seems that she is not as bad as reported. But, she is willful, and goes out of her way to confront Amy. This causes emotional problems for Amy, the star student, who has just broken off her relationship with her boyfriend.
And this is where the explicit intention of the film makes itself known. This is a film about lesbian relationships, love, as well as infatuations. The villain, Lucy Diamond, is a lesbian and has fallen in love with Amy.
After various complications, especially in the pursuit of Brewster’s Lucy Diamond, all is well with a reconciliation between Lucy and Amy and Amy being accepted amongst the D.E.B.S. – and face-saving for the head.
Comments are often made that gay people and lesbians are not offered films with their characters as central. This is not the case here.

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