Review of Pretty Woman (1991) by Alys W — 21 Apr 2016

Pretty Woman is a modern day Cinderella. The film uses modern issues like sex, drugs, and prostitution. Pretty Woman follows the Cinderella story outline in a modern way that not many other stories that follow this outline are able to achieve. Pretty Woman has the elements that make up the story of Cinderella, while also keeping it original. Although critics may say that Pretty Woman does not have what it takes to be a Cinderella story, Pretty Woman is an original take on a classics story and contains the importance of first impressions, riches-to-rags story, a male savior who brings out the inner beauty of the heroine, and a conflict a past life; elements that are needed for a true Cinderella story. Although many viewers thought it was a scandalous film promoting a poor lifestyle, I think it was a love story.

When it comes to a princess who started from rags to riches, Cinderella is the one most people would say comes to mind. Cinderella starts off as a lowly servant for her stepmother and stepsisters. She is treated like someone who is very worthless and is ridiculed throughout her entire existence at home. In comparison Vivian also starts out in rags. She is a prostitute on the streets of Beverly Hills giving away her body and virtue for men who want sexual favors in return for money. Prostitutes are seen as objects, not human beings, and the woman who did this treat themselves like objects. Nothing can be seen as more lowly and awful. Both characters, Cinderella and Vivian, are given an opportunity for much more than what they start out with. They meet a man who has all the opportunities in life and gives them experiences that are able to show off their true worth. For Cinderella, she showed that she was just more than a poor house-servant but that she a princess. Similarly with Vivian, she proved that she was a true lady of modern times and someone who wanted to know more than just being a prostitute.

Overall, this romantic comedy is a classic; a cinderella story from the eighties. This film will go down in history along with all the other cinderella films!