Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Compared to girls, research shows that boys in the United States are more likely to be diagnosed with a behaviour disorder, prescribed stimulant medications, fail out of school, binge drink, commit a violent crime, and/or take their own lives. The Mask You Live In asks: as a society, how are we failing our boys?
The Mask You Live In is a competent and earnest documentary tackling the social construction of masculinity and its harmful effects on boys and men in America. The film presents a clear thesis backed by research and compelling personal testimonies, though it follows a fairly conventional talking-heads documentary structure. Acting scores are modest as this is a non-fiction work with real subjects rather than performers. Cinematography is serviceable and occasionally evocative but unremarkable. Novelty is moderate — the subject matter (toxic masculinity, gender socialization) was gaining cultural traction at the time, and while the film brings genuine passion and a feminist lens to an underexplored angle (boys as victims of rigid gender norms), it doesn't break new documentary ground formally. The ending offers a hopeful but somewhat pat resolution. Overall a solid, above-average entry in the social-issue documentary space.