Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Hugh Hefner is, and will remain, an icon. And while the Playboy proprietor passed away yesterday at the age of 91, the true end of the Playboy era occurred just about a decade ago, with the release of 2008’s The House Bunny.
Anna Faris stars as Shelley, a bubbly beauty who believes the world begins and ends within the property lines of the Playboy mansion. All she cares about is becoming a centerfold, and instead of achieving what she describes as the “highest, most prestigious honor there is,” she’s kicked out of the mansion on her 27th birthday for being too old.
From there, Shelley moves in with a group of geeky sorority girls (which includes Emma Stone, Rumer Willis, Katharine McPhee, and Kat Dennings), and while she teaches them about applying makeup and wearing clothes and flirting with boys, it’s Shelley that truly learns how to become her best self, aka, not so superficial after all.
The Adam Sandler-produced comedy isn’t serving up many high-brow jokes, but packs plenty of charm, while pointing out exactly why the heyday of Playboy had passed. In 2008, the decline of print magazines was in full swing, while (free!) Internet pornography was on the rise, a double blow to the bunny brand. Not to mention, Kim Kardashian’s amateur arrival on the scene proved that an attractive woman doesn’t need the pages of Playboy to be declared sexy.
It was a time of hope in the pre-Obama era, and while big boobies will always be appreciated, you couldn’t deny that it felt as though change and more important issues were at hand. Shelley had the best big, bouncy hair, and teeny tiny bustiers, but her passion for provocative pics and parties was shared by few, both in the film and in the world. The House Bunny managed to balance sex jokes with feminist tones throughout the film, and even as the women bare their midriffs and highlight their hair, the theme that being nice and helping others is what actually matters, is heard loud and clear.
Anna Faris boasts an incredibly hot and enviable bod here, but it’s Emma Stone’s nerdy Natalie that shows the signs of the Academy Award winner she would become. Again, this was 2008: the rise of nerd culture was on the horizon, and dorks were ready to deem superheroes as sexy. Or, at least successful at the box office. The times were changing, and what the masses considered popular was about to shift.
While The House Bunny begins with highlighting what a party the Playboy mansion could be, by the end, the film shines a light on how donning the bunny ears was not the honor or sexy signifier it once was. In fact, it almost made these gorgeous gals seem…kinda desperate and washed up. Did Playboy simply need the publicity at this point? Because why else would Hefner want the brand associated with a movie that basically tells viewers to not worry so much about being beautiful and sexy and to stick to who you are instead? That’s…somewhat against message for Playboy, is all.
The House Bunny remains a silly comedy with a lot of heart, but in many ways, it’s also the documentation of the end of the Playboy era. The bunny ears will live on, because they not only make a simple and sexy Halloween costume, but they will remain an icon — one that will always be recognizable, but not always relevant.
