Movies with Chicago Women Who Inspire
Chicago is full of great women, and the great movies that have been set in the Second City are no exception. I thought this would be a fun list to highlight some fictional women who epitomize the qualities of the ideal Chicago woman. Resilience, courage, grit, determination and hard work, and all of this against long odds are consistent with the women I admire. Here are a few:
Veronica / Viola Davis in Widows. This is a woman on a mission who has been beaten, stolen from and is wronged by one horrible man after another horrible man in her life. At no point does she lose her drive to outsmart these awful people and get out of the mess her thief of a husband put her in. While demonstrating a great deal of vulnerability, she uses real grit to overcome setback after setback. Love this movie for a very nuanced view of Chicago politics and where women and minorities fit in (or face major adversity).
Chris / Elizabeth Shue in Adventures in Babysitting. Rebounds from being stood up by her boyfriend to get some work and make some money. Chris is quick to help out a friend in need while also protecting the children in her care. She succeeds despite a flat tire, a mugging/assault, a cheating boyfriend, dealings with a criminal ring. She juggles this all in a charming fashion and everyone gets home safe. Major points for moxie!!!
Julianne / Julia Roberts, My Best Friend’s Wedding. Julia Roberts shines as a working woman who realizes she’s been friend-zoned too late. However upon this realization she devises a plan to re-enter the picture for a man she loves. She pursues an objective without hesitation even though the woman she is now competing with really does seem to be the “perfect” woman. Points for determination!
Lucy / Sandra Bullock, While You Were Sleeping. A CTA token collector saves the life of a rich and handsome man and then poses as his fiancee on a whim, then falls in love with his nice-guy brother and is now entangled in a series of lies. Ultimately jeopardizing a chance for love with either brother, Lucy comes clean but it works out in the end for her. Points for courage!
Chicago city of great movies with great female leads!