I don’t know when, but there was a wave of male stars vying to be “wimps” in the entertainment industry. From the "big three losers" - Lei Jiayin, Guo Jingfei, and Baike, to the new losers Qin Hao and Hu Ge... there are all kinds of "useless" people, and the "waste" ones are indistinguishable.
Behind the popularity of the "waste track" is the change in gender identity in the new era, and the failure of male struggle narratives. It can be seen that behind every useless man in movies and TV dramas, there is almost a woman who holds up the sky. When the right to speak about gender gradually changes and society becomes more and more complicated, some men begin to yearn for relaxation - lowering expectations, avoiding responsibilities, and chasing the freedom of a loser.
text | Ma Yanjun
editor | Yi Fangxing
operation | killer whale
male stars compete to be "wimps"
When Hu Ge took off the custom-made suit that showed off his accent, he wore a messy chicken coop of curly hair and was wearing pickles The colorful pleated T-shirt appeared on the screen, and people couldn't help but sigh, "Even Mr. Bao is brave enough to brave the loser track."
I don’t know when, but there was a wave of male stars vying to be “wimps” in the entertainment industry. Hu Ge, who once debuted as a dashing knight, his latest role in the industry is Mr. Bao, who controls the wind and rain on Huanghe Road. However, when the fairy tale drama turned into a show for the male protagonist with facial paralysis, and the domineering president became the object of ridicule, even Hu Ge, who had always presented himself as a handsome boy, had to "waste".
In the new work "Stop and Go", Hu Ge plays a down-and-out young man who is frustrated at work and love, and can only return home in despair. In order to reflect the "wimpy attribute" of the character who encounters obstacles in life, film stylist Tang Ning specially designed it for him. I have a "classic skin" - the mixed-match clothes look like they were picked out of the wastebasket. The pants are baggy and the crotch is a little bit down. Because I am often in a hurry to go out, I don't wear a pair of socks.
As for the details of the outfit, it is a precise poke into the lungs of contemporary "useless youth". Because I have been typing all the time, the wear and tear on my elbows will be serious, and there are often cigarette ashes on my pants. A simple and comfortable linen shirt and casual pants are convenient for working or lying down at any time. In addition, a U-shaped pillow should be put on to support the fragile cervical vertebrae.
"Waste" is a true portrayal. Apart from Hu Ge, the male star who has recently shined in the "waste track" is undoubtedly Baike. In the movie "The Annual Party Can't Stop", Baike, who is always nodding and hunching, jogging all the way, and talking "bad words", vividly portrays the fatigue and humility of people in the workplace.
Faced with a mountain of work, he has the spirit of a foolish old man and the speed of a high-speed train. He is rooted in front of the computer day and night, keeping his hands and brains busy, and receives airborne related customers. Whether he was forced to go to the rooftop to report corruption in a factory, he roared: "I'm wronged too. I also have a family. I lost my job. What will happen to my family?"
He also received unusual praise from netizens for this: "What's hanging on me, It’s not like a work card, it’s more like a yoke for beating workers. “
has always emphasized in interviews that he is just an ordinary person. In his film and television works, he has also portrayed many ordinary people struggling in real society.” Waste". In the TV series "A Lady's Dignity", a white guest who wears an apron, prepares a table of meals, waits for the wife of a strong woman to get off work, and also gives a hug is "the waste of IKEA". In the
movie "Looking for Her", living in a closed and backward southern village, faced with breaking the rules of the entire village and finding the wife of his missing daughter, the hesitant Baike is a "silent waste"; in the movie "More than Endless" ", with journalistic ideals and determination to seek justice for hepatitis B patients, Baike, who was severely hit by reality, is another kind of "powerless waste."
And Lei Jiayin, the "originator" of the "wasted track", has been deeply involved in this field for many years. I'm afraid only senior fans remember that in the TV series "Weaning" released as early as 2013, Lei Jiayin played a young man from Shanghai with a mediocre background. Facing the heroine's wealthy and handsome suitor, his only weapon was "cheesy". "The Waste", with down-to-earth gags and sincere love, won the favor of the heroine.
In the TV series "The First Half of My Life" that made him popular, "waste" upgraded to a man's protective color. Although the character cheated, got divorced, and abandoned his wife and children in the play, he looked like he had a successful career but looked guilty and helpless, and was caught between his ex-wife and his current wife. The "useless look" allowed him to successfully reverse his reputation and win the " "Ex-husband brother" title.
After all - "He is already so useless, I really can't bear to scold him any more."
In the movie "Article 20" released this year, Lei Jiayin even promoted "waste". His son stood up for justice and resisted prosecution. The disagreement between his work and his boss was affected. He couldn't talk to his family. He had to compromise when handling the case. It can be said that " "Comprehensive, complete waste." From the character's life, the audience sympathized with the helplessness and sadness of middle-aged people, and therefore dubbed him "the leader of the loser track."
The one chasing me on this track is Guo Jingfei. In the TV series "I am Yu Huanshui", Guo Jingfei, who was overwhelmed by mortgage, work, and family, and finally completely broke due to misdiagnosis, went crazy on behalf of a middle-aged man, and won the title of "Wang Xiaofei of the TV series" He is called a "coward who bites when pressed" and other titles.
"Waste" is an attitude. Qin Hao, who once had a sense of fragmentation in literary and artistic movies and had infinite charm in every look, can only be laid off in the TV series "The Long Season" if he wants to compete in this track. I gained a job and gained 20 pounds, but because of my sweet mouth and soft heart, I was awarded the title of "The Most Charming Wimp" even though I accomplished nothing.
Perhaps as the blogger "Happy Carrot Food Store" wrote on Weibo: "my country's actor loser track has already subdivided areas. Xu Zheng, a mommy-baby loser with original family problems; Dapeng, a musician. A loser; Huang Bo, a loser who can dance; Shen Teng, a loser who can drive; Huang Lei, a loser who can cook..."
I have to say that when male celebrities rush to rush into the "wimp" track, they can be described as "wimps" There are all kinds of strange things, and the "waste" ones are indistinguishable.
Domineering CEOs, Strivers and Wimps
Regarding the current situation of being defined as a "pleasant wimp" because of his performance of the bitter tears of a worker in "The Annual Meeting Can't Stop", Baike once responded in an interview, " I know it’s mainly about Ma Jie’s feeling in the movie, but actually I don’t think it’s considered a coward, otherwise there would be a lot of cowards.”
But no matter how he defines it, the "wimp" Ma Jie is completely popular, and has even gradually evolved into a new era of masculine charm - in order to give his family a better life, he does not hesitate to bear the humiliation at work, is obedient outside, is gentle and pragmatic at home, and is suitable for The "husband-like feeling" of living a good life overflowed the screen, and this gave rise to a series of Jack Ma (character name) fan fiction.
In the Jack Ma fanfic that is popular on the Internet, Bai Ke is portrayed as a boyfriend/husband who has no offensive power and is considerate to his family. He will squeeze the shoulders and legs of his girlfriend who is tired from work, and give a bowl of hot soup to his hard-working wife. , and will also patiently help children with their homework, be filial to both parents, and undertake trivial housework.
is more down-to-earth than a domineering president, and more fresh and refined than a daddy man. To a certain extent, this image may be more in line with people's imagination of the reality of life.
“The domineering CEOs in the early idol dramas were somewhat humane,” recalled Wen Qingqing, a fan of domestic TV dramas. In “Smile Pasta”, the big star He Qun would protect the “turtle girl” Cheng Xiaoshi; “Mischief Kiss” In "I'm Destined to Love You", Jiang Zhishu will be changed by Yuan Xiangqin's simple kindness; the CEO in "Destined to Love You" even expresses a hint of self-awareness, "Am I only born to carry on the family line? What about love? Where about care? Happiness What about life? Can’t I have all of this? "
" But now, the overbearing president is either relegating game money to the heroine, or saying with a cold face, "Aren't you the biggest disaster in my life?" "This kind of greasy quotation", as for the serious-faced and preachy uncle, "is even more uninteresting."
Huang Xiaoming, who integrates "I don't want you to feel, I want what I feel" into his life, Zhang Han, who is keen on contracting fish ponds for his girlfriend, and Jin Dong, who loves to read articles by Nobel laureate mathematicians, may not have thought that the trend of the times has changed. Now, the audience no longer longs for the plot of "the domineering president first tortures and then loves, chasing his wife in the crematorium", but pursues a more gentle and equal emotional relationship. In this situation, the "wimp" that is stripped of the sense of oppression and preaching is " has become a form of appreciation for men.
On the other hand, the failure of the narrative of strivers has also accelerated the overcrowding of the "waste track".
"In "Soldier Assault" broadcast in 2006, Xu Sanduo's struggle in the military camp moved people to tears. In "Beijing Love Story" six years later, the poor Shi Xiaomeng could only work harder. The weaker he becomes, the more he struggles and becomes more twisted, eventually becoming a villain. "
Wen Qingqing's favorite domestic TV series is "Struggle", which was released in 2007. The protagonist in the play, Lu Tao, is an architect. In order to build the ideal building, he risked everything and lost everything. "Many people say that he dared to be willful because of his rich dad who fell from the sky. But now there are dramas about the second generation of rich people. There are so many people who are disdainful of money for the sake of ideals, but it is rare."
Another protagonist, Hua Zi, is a small business owner who started from the bottom. In order to make a living, he resells second-hand cars, prints pirated books, opens a barber shop, and does catering. He dreams of working hard to create a world, but he is repeatedly frustrated, which is embarrassing. "Many People say that in this drama, only Hua Zi is really struggling, but now there are fewer and fewer such characters. After all, compared to documentary, refreshing writing is more satisfying both physically and mentally."
As for the remaining male protagonist, the "useless man" Xiang Nan, his reputation has been reversed. More than ten years ago, the audience complained that he was stingy and unreliable - his parents found his job, and his daily life was Hang around your girlfriend.
But after more than ten years, Xiangnan, who has no lofty ambitions, has become cute, because he has the most plain and down-to-earth life among the protagonists. "Every day he just goes to work to make money and takes care of his wife." He does not pursue lofty ideals and lives a small life. Ji'an can even provide a bit of emotional value - in order to make his girlfriend's grandma happy, he "played mahjong and lit cannons all afternoon."
In the "coward track", the only person who could completely overturn is Emperor Qianlong in the TV series "Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace". When filming the previous film "The Legend of Zhen Huan", Chen Jianbin, who played the emperor, never moved his body when beating people, "because no one dared to hide when the emperor beat people."
But in "Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace", Emperor Qianlong, who was not looked down upon by the queen, concubines, and even eunuchs, was furious at every turn. Even the actor Huo Jianhua was wondering, "Why does he jump up and fight every day?" "Human?"
As an emperor with supreme power, "waste" is inexplicable and "waste" is so confusing that in the end, netizens can only end up ridiculing, "other wastes are nicknames, only this one is the real one" Useless person."
When "wimp literature" shines into reality
reality, more and more people accept the "wimp character design".
Since living a "living flat" life in a small town near Xiamen, Yang Yang has happily accepted the title of "wimp".
Because he didn’t like to communicate with others, Yang Yang began to fantasize when he was 18 years old, “What if I had a stable job that didn’t require me to take care of interpersonal relationships, a house far away from the city and close to farmland, and enough money to be alone?” Just take your own time."
After trying many jobs along the way, Yang Yang was still unable to integrate into the fast-paced society. Finally, when he was approaching 30, he made up his mind to stay away from the city. He studied funeral courses and eventually became a beautician in a funeral parlor.
Perhaps to outsiders, his life is a bit boring. Except for the night shift once a week, he gets off work at 4 p.m. every day. He rarely goes out to socialize. He spends a lot of his free time cooking, reading science fiction novels, Accompanying a 7-year-old cat. But for Yang Yang, such a "useless" life can make him happy from the bottom of his heart.
Therefore, the track of cowards has become crowded, and even the word "coward" has become a positive connotation. In the final analysis, it is because many people finally discovered that only cowards are safe enough.
People’s choices are also reflected in changes in the social atmosphere. For example, because finding dissatisfaction is the normal state of life, being helpless is a real dilemma, and self-deprecation is the last layer of armor for self-protection. Therefore, there are "Kick me, you are just kicking cotton" and "The more capable you are, the more likely you are to kick me." The "wimp literature" of "the smaller the country, the smaller the responsibility" is reflected in reality.
However, behind every loser, there may also be an ambition to fight.
Chen Qi, who loved the TV series "Legend of Sword and Fairy" as a child, has always been obsessed with the Li Xiaoyao who wanted to save the people on the screen. "Who in childhood never imagined that he would be chosen by God to wield a sword like him?" "What about traveling to the end of the world?"
When she first entered the society, her benchmark image became Mei Changsu in the TV series "Langya Bang". "Although she is weak and seems passive, she actually controls the situation and has the world in mind." She firmly believes that hard work and opportunities will bring her rewards, even the most basic promotion and salary increase.
It wasn’t until he worked hard in the workplace for several years that he realized that he had neither Mei Changsu’s schemes nor the glory of Mr. Bao. “Now suddenly, Hu Ge has become a middle-aged loser, and I have recognized the reality. ".
"The role played by Hu Ge seems to have connected half of my life." Chen Qi concluded.
Like this, when hard work is no longer the only theme of the times, people suddenly find that instead of struggling in the narrow channel of wealth, it is better to be a "waste" openly and openly. Perhaps "waste" does not mean giving up on oneself, but A philosophy of life - lowering expectations, avoiding responsibilities, and chasing the freedom of a loser.
In order to show his identity as a "waste", Chen Qi deliberately changed his WeChat avatar to an aggrieved puppy. "This is my main image - it cannot be reused." Chen Qi, who works as an art designer, used to agree to the boss's request. Regarding colleagues’ requests, “I was too talkative, and in the end I pushed myself harder and harder, but in the end I still couldn’t meet their expectations.”
Now, Chen Qi has learned how to manage expectations. She first explains the areas that are difficult to achieve and may have deviations. "It's normal to fail to do so. I can't improve immediately. I can only let myself go and respect myself first."
But she also understands that cowardice is only a temporary choice to protect herself -
When the wind that belongs to her comes, Li Xiaoyao and Mei Changsu in her heart will come back again.
(the interviewees in this article are all pseudonyms)
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