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Myths are the dominant ideologies of our time. Their function is to make the hegemonic cultural and historical values, attitudes and beliefs seem entirely 'natural', 'normal', self-evident, timeless, obvious and common-sense (Chandle, D, 2001).' Films have portrayed and enforced these myths upon the western form of patriarchal society. However, in the films ‘American Beauty’ and Fight Club the myth that has come into question is that of masculinity and femininity. In both Fight Club and American Beauty the myth of masculinity and femininity is placed in crisis as both protagonists, Jack and Lester and other characters such as Marla, Angela begin to doubt and question their own existence and relationships. In unveiling the ‘fake’ ideologies we discover their ideals of their own body, relationships with females and the need for escapism from their own reality. In American Beauty we also reveal the common ideals of femininity can be changed in the character of Carolyn. Both American Beauty and Fight Club deal with the ideology of what a contemporary man should be and look like, albeit in a different age group. Fight Club deals with the consumer body (Lehman, P, 1999.) Tyler and Jack continually refer to a Gucci advert