Why Do Women Love To Watch 365 Days Series, Despite Its Problematic Portrayal Of Love?

The recent release of the final part of the hit trilogy- 365 Days, is too hot to handle. For obvious reasons- erotic scenes. Who doesn’t like watching two hot people having intimate moments in beautiful locales?

It could also be a contributing factor that the trilogy has such a massive global following, despite the poor storyline at the core of the films. The trilogy is full of flaws and lousy writing but does triumph in crafting sexual encounters.

In 2020, when the first film in this trilogy, 365 Days released on Netflix, the Polish film soon raced to the top spot in terms of viewership in many countries, including the UK and the US.

The series has faced several backlashes- the first part was slammed by sexual assault survivors, including singer Duffy. In an open letter to Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings, they hinted that the film romanticises the brutal reality of sex trafficking, kidnapping, and rape.

The 365 Days trilogy has marketed itself as an erotica thriller but has nothing thrilling about it. It does power pack a lot of sensual erotica scenes. No to mention, the Boat Scene — a sex-filled montage on a yacht that leaves little to the imagination. Over time, the trilogy became a love triangle.

Why women like 365 Days series

Many have also slammed the series for its portrayal of the lead character Laura Biel (Anna-Maria Sieklucka), who falls in love with Massimo Torricelli (Michele Morrone) an organized crime boss. In the beginning, we are introduced to Laura as a successful sales director, but over the course of this trilogy, she dedicates her life to an abusive man and submits to his toxic idea of love. But how far is this portrayal from reality though?

The third part also features a threesome sex scene between Laura, Massimo, and Nacho, though in Laura's dream, but it does push the envelop.

Several women do subscribe to the idea of love shown in the film. For some people-be it a man or woman, the thrill of being chased fills life with excitement. Some women see a man who keeps a girl on her toes as an adventurous romance, breaking the monotonous life, be it at the cost of abuse. Here, abuse is taken as love. From a feminist perspective, this seems problematic, but in the end, it’s all about making choices. If women find the kind of love advocated by 365 Days relatable, then do we have any right to shame of criticise them?

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Also, Laura is not all victim in the film. Laura is assertive about what she wants and throws all kinds of fits to ensure that her demands are fulfilled. For instance, most of the sex sequences in the series are initiated by Laura. The sex scene after their wedding, where Laura self-pleasures in the presence of her spouse Massimo makes it clear that she is assertive about the kind of pleasure she desires. Laura is also vocal in terms of sex. Usually, society at large is not willing to talk about sex openly. When it comes to women, their sexual needs are ignored in the first place. Acceptance of desires and fantasies is a faraway thing. A simple statement- I like to have sex, is hard to utter. It also stirs a sense of awkwardness in other people who are present in the room. So keeping that in mind, it is refreshing to see a woman who doesn't shy away from openly endorsing sexual pleasure.

Also, for women who can't come around to watching porn, the series offers some sexual excitement, visually. However, as it is with porn, the trilogy sets up false expectations about sex and could do more harm than good when the imagery and expectations sold to viewers is taken to bed in reality.

Image Credit: Netflix

Views expressed are the author's own.