Review of I Feel Pretty (2018) by Robert J — 21 Apr 2018

This is a light hearted comedy from Amy Schumer in attempt to make women feel at ease with themselves!

Before watching the movie, I watched the trailer, and I felt like that was enough. After watching the movie, everything was easily expected and it's not worthy to play on the big screen, better fitted for Lifetime TV channel.

Let's start with something good. The value is good and necessary. It's trying to make women more confidence about themselves from within instead focus so much on the shallows. At this current time, with Larry Nassar, #metoo and #time'sup movements, women in our society has a lot inner issues. Issues caused by male-gaze based economy, social media pressured society, and commercials that target women's most inner insecurities, and many more. This is a right story to tell at the right time. And the solution that this movie trying to say is attitude can change everything. At times, we can be our own worst enemy preventing us from getting the success and the love that we deserve. You don't have to change yourself, because what essentially matters is you, and you've already got it.

Movie itself lacks of content. It's very simple and very direct message, but the directors decide to tell us in a curve ball. With our current social environment given, this movie could easily be a hit. Unfortunately, Amy missed the mark. The whole movie is based on fat girl jokes, and Amy's charisma. Amy has a really major present and a likable personality. These are great for doing stand-up comedy. It was so much Amy Schumer and I can hardly see the character "Renee Bennett". She is basically playing herself in the movie, therefore it's hard for audiences to really get into the story. Mid-way during movie, I see many people stand-up and left. Not a good sign for a movie in it's opening weekend ?? As much as I want to like the movie, this is a hard one.

Character design is quit awful. Michelle Williams as Avery LeClaire, is a CEO in a high end cosmetic company. Her role as a female leader is lacking a lot. There is no female leadership persona at all. Her voice, her understanding of women and the market; her decision making ability really didn't strike me as a CEO. And Avery's grandmother, Lily LeClaire played by Lauren Hutton is another failed character. She suppose to be creator of the company and mother of the current CEO. The dynamic between two female leaders in the company felt cold and low. Just like many father-and-son relationship in the executive level of a company, I was expecting something highly dramatic between the pair, and it was none. Other characters are also not very well designed and no much of development, just not gonna list one by one here. The writers, Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, are lack of understanding about inter-personal relationship and the corporate world, which made the movie feel too much like a college project.

Renee's decision wanting to be the receptionist of the company raises a lot of question marks for me. Number one, the pay cut. Who would take a job that's a significant pay-cut and have no room for growth? Number two, what kind of message are you trying to send? Because to me, if you trying to empower women in work force, making such shallow choice is much against the value you are selling.

I do see a lot of similarities with "Devil wears Prada" and "Ugly Betty". And both of them are much better than this movie. You need to be at peace with yourself and start focusing on things that actually matter.

Since I still like the value this movie is presenting, I would give this movie a solid D. Sorry, I didn't feel pretty after watching it; I feel bored ??