Dhruv Sharma
Ostensibly a comedy, Netflix’s ‘MILF’ centers around three 40-something women, who head south for a mini-vacation. Their brief gateway turns even more exciting when a group of young men starts hitting on them. With what follows, the film walks you through the steamy and “forbidden” relationships that develop between them. The storytelling style of ‘MILF’ is as simple as it can be and it never really claims to be based on a true story. But if its mildly relatable themes left their mark on you and you’re wondering if its draws its inspiration from real life, here’s everything you need to know
Is MILF Based on a True Story?
No, Netflix’s ‘MILF’ is not based on a true story. However, it does attempt to upend the stigma surrounding older women dating much younger men. In mainstream cinema, the depiction of intergenerational romantic relationships between older men and young women is often normalized. Take, for instance, Sam Mendes’ Oscar-winning ‘American Beauty.’ On the flip side, because of a lack of films portraying it, similar relationships between older women and younger men are still considered taboo by many. Although gender stereotypes also play a role here, movies often use the term cougar in a derogatory context. With ‘MILF’, Fench actress and comedian, Axelle Laffont, intends to normalize the use of terms like Cougar or MILF and defy all the stereotypes surrounding heterosexual relationships.
The movie archives this by portraying the lives of three distinct middle-aged women. Among them, Elise (played by Axelle Laffont) is the boldest and enjoys being single even in her 40s. On the other hand, there’s Sonia, who would love to be as liberated as Elise, but is bounded by her marital ties. And then, there is Cécile, who simply conforms to everything expected from a woman of her age. Throughout its runtime, the film gives a viewer the unique perspective of three mature women and explains why they get involved in sexual relationships with much younger men. It never judges the bawdy actions of these women, and neither does it overly justify what they’re doing.
It simply normalizes their relationship by showing that even though these women are in their 40s, they can still have healthy sexual or platonic relationships with younger men. By doing so, it sends out a didactic message to many middle-aged women out there—Don’t let societal stereotypes define your relationships with the opposite gender or with anyone, in that matter. There’s also a scene in the film where Axelle Laffont’s character Elise, claims that there’s a fine line between the terms “Milf” and “Cougar.” While a cougar is someone who goes out of her way to establish relationships with young men, a Milf is simply an extremely attractive middle-aged woman who isn’t seeking validation of any kind. Clearly, this scene aspires to make the term Milf a lot more acceptable and less pejorative.
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