Concepts of Masculine Camaraderie in Films and Screenplays by David Ayer

Master’s Thesis from the year 2017 in the subject Communications - Movies and Television, grade: 1,3, University of Cologne (Englisches Seminar), language: English, abstract: The discrepancy between patriarchy’s prohibition of homosocial affection and its tendency to produce homo-social institutions like all-male sports teams or military is striking. While the new millenium has seen several representations and filmic negotiations of this force field, few films have focussed as much on exactly this combination of - or conflict between - the male ego, attitude and camaraderie as the works written and directed by David Ayer. A glance at criticism of Ayer’s films supports this claim: While many call him a macho helmer, Ayer is equally often recognized for his instinctive feel for male relationships, their language and intimacy. This thesis will review David Ayer’s stories, screenplays and films focussing on masculine camaraderie, homosocial bonding and the relationships of its characters in an attempt to get a deeper sense of the ambivalence between machismo and male-male affection that seems to characterize Ayer’s projects.