Jules Moore Chaya Ungar Writing in the Disciplines March 4, 2024 White Chicks: A Belly-Laugh Intertwined with Crime. Keenen Ivory Wayans combines his artistry of acting and comedy in his curation of the hilariously criminal film White Chicks. Comedy depicts satirical sketches and jokes with an intention to make the audience laugh (Oxford 2024). While many genres may provide comedic components, comedy is the only genre with a clear and pure intention of laughter. Regardless of any sub-genres a film may have, comedic relief is what many people look for, as comedy is a universally prominent genre. Comedy is able to remain captivating while working alongside complex characters and storylines, ultimately, placing comedy as a highly engaging genre. …show more content…
Watching a film with prior knowledge of genre or synopsis creates unconscious expectations of the watch. If your friend recommends a funny movie they’ve recently seen, you’re going to expect to laugh when you watch it, despite the intention of the writer. Post release, White Chicks attracted a lot of debatable social traction. According to critic Richard Shertzer, “In its original release, it wasn’t supposed to be thought-provoking or intellectually engaging for audiences; its laughs are often cheap and devolve into body and childish humor” (2022). Shertzer claims the intention of the film was purely for comedic relief, intending that the deeply controversial views on the film to be irrelevant due to its unintentionality. Despite its true intention, White Chicks provokes both laughter and debate. White Chicks is a perfect example of a powerful multi-genre film, as it executes two primary genres, comedy and crime, exceeding its many sub-genres. Comedy is a universally favored genre, arguably due to the complexities of it. Comedy is often used by society as an escape from reality and can transform our worries into jokes. Comedy can be extremely diverse amongst many cultures and audiences, ultimately bringing people