Review by John Delia, Sr.
Inspirational for many, inconceivable for others the movie I Feel Pretty boasts that it gives a boost of pride in oneself no matter what you look like. American society today has picked up where they left off in the thirties and has gathered steam as shown in recent women’s marches. It’s a wave of demands for better wages, equality, respect and equal opportunities for females. I Feel Pretty takes aim at self-esteem which includes self-confidence, worth, respect, regard, assurance and pride. The underlying ego booster for women in this script is “self-imageâ€, and the writers Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein nail it.
In a deadened job as an assistant to the IT guy at the warehouse of major cosmetic firm Lilly LeClaire, the generally unassuming and overweight Renee (Amy Schumer) has been a hard working member of society. Along with her two best friends Jane (Busy Phillips) and Vivian (Aidy Bryant) they enjoy being “out there†looking for men. The bar scene has been big for them, but their tact gets in the way of most male to female opportunities. Even their attempts at online dating have not gone well and Renee blames her looks for the reason. Down on herself, Renee decides to join SoulCycle a health club spinning group as her way of getting into shape. During her first try at it, things don’t go well, breaking the stationary bike before the group can get into full throttle.
Feeling that she needs an uplift days later, she takes a second try at spinning and this time after getting up to full speed she falls hitting her head on the floor. In the locker room she looks in the mirror and voila, she’s beautiful. The following morning she awakens with a whole new attitude about herself. She thinks she’s irresistible and has all the confidence in the world. So confident she applies for the receptionist position at the Fifth Avenue upscale location of Lilly LeClaire where the staff is made up of glamorous women. When Renee gets hired by CEO Avery LeClaire (Michelle Williams), who’s introducing a new line of lower priced cosmetics, it’s because of her knowledge about how the targeted shopper thinks. To Renee however, it’s because of her being gorgeous like the rest of employees.
Writers Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein who brought the movie He’s Not Into You to the screen, try their hand at directing. Although they do a good job of helming their first film, it’s just another rom-com with a different approach. They move their story along at a fast pace developing Renee from her self-unworthy to a bump on the head beautiful. The quick introduction is best for a comedy and it works well here.
They then move into the toughest part of the show, how to make someone who is really already attractive into a character who has to change. Well, although not an easy task, their script does work on that standpoint as everyone knows “beauty is in the eye of the beholderâ€. It’s the attitude that makes Renee different, and Amy Schumer has no problem with communicating that. From entering a swimsuit contest to winning over her elitists bosses she’s a changed woman alright and Schumer delivers. Does it project the right message? Well that’s up to the female audience that the film targets. I hope so as I’d love to see a more positive attitude in America from both sexes.
What makes people laugh here is not really the performance by Amy Schumer, but the support cast that’s a hoot.  Her coworker, Mason played by Adrian Martinez, shows how lowly Renee has fallen due to her lack of confidence. Dressing very slovenly with manners to match, he tries to understand Renee, but can’t be bothered with reality. He would be the lowest on the totem pole for Lilly LeClaire it wasn’t for Renee.
Renee’s best friends Jane (Busy Phillips) and Vivian (Aidy Bryant) are not high on the food chain either. Trying to make the best of their lives, being overweight, poorly dressed, and not being able to communicate with men are only a few drawbacks. In the company of Renee, they are a stitch being befuddled by their best friend’s new self. So much so, they even try to tell her she’s not changed, but Renee retorts indicating they just can’t accept her new self.
Also very silly is the performance by Michelle Williams as Avery LeClaire the granddaughter of the founder of Lilly LeClaire. As the CEO with a shrill voice, those around her pretend to like her, but some of their expressions are priceless. At a presentation of their new product line for the average shopper for Target Stores, you get a wave of wacky expressions from the room full of buyers during her speech.
Amy Schumer does her level best to make the delivery of her character different then in her other films. However, Amy plays “herself†again as she has in her TV show “Inside Amy Schumerâ€, and the movies Snatched and Trainwreck. She can make her audience laugh by denigrating herself, even though it may sometimes offend females. The content of both her TV show and the movie Trainwreck, both acted and written by her, show a debasement of women with low morals, sexually charged and with foul mouth’s using that ploy to make her audience laugh. Here she actually does some good with her character Renee, showing that it really doesn’t matter how you are perceived by others. It’s about developing a good self-image by believing you are beautiful, confident and smart.
The production is smart having the camera show the tale using close ups of Schumer, initially with very little make-up and ill-fitting outfits to show the “real†Renee. Then bringing in the pros for the improved Renee with the make-up artists building a better profile, the wardrobe department providing better fitting outfits and probably a choreographer to let her know when and when not to slouch. But, that said, there wouldn’t have been a film without Hollywood’s magic.
I leave you with this opinion: Most men have always put women on a pedestal, although some rotten potatoes have looked at women as trophies and playthings instead of equal humans. Those “potato†heads have given the 80% “level†heads a bad rap. Although it’s accepted in our society of free speech, it’s sad to see the indignity of it all. So go home and kiss your wife and children every day, make that date something special for you single couples and thank all women in all walks of life for living. Maybe all that feeling good will be passed on to the next generation.
I Feel Pretty has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sexual content, some partial nudity, and language. Be cautious when deciding to bring immature children to the movie as it may be inappropriate for youngsters.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Just another rom-com with a different approach. (1.5out of 5 Stars)
Additional Film Information
Cast: Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Rory Scovel, Emily Ratajkowski, Busy Phillips, Aidy Bryant, Naomi Campbell, Lauren Hutton, Tom Hopper, Sasheer Zamata, Adrian Martinez, Dave Attell.
Directed and written by: Abby Kohn & Marc Silverstein
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, some partial nudity, and language
Running Time: 1 hr. 50 min.
Release Date: April 20, 2018
Distributed by: STX Entertainment