FWIW, I think Amy Schumer is beautiful. I am not going to qualify that. Of course, this comment completely misses the point of I Feel Pretty, quickly becoming one of the most misunderstood pieces of American art since “Born in the USA.” (Listen to the lyrics, fellas. Bruce ain’t exactly flag-wavin’.) Scared little boys of the Alt-Right, threatened by one comedienne’s take on self-image, flooded imdb with over 1,000 “worst” votes before the picture even opened. The most common word from critics is “shallow,” which makes me wonder if the version sent to reviewers lacked an Act III. Oprah Winfrey called it “empowering,” which is 100% true if you ignore the fact that Oprah used the same word to describe A Wrinkle in Time when she clearly meant “confusing.” I’ll give you this much, Amy, they’re talking about it, which is almost always better than when they’re not talking about it.
Unattached and insecure web designer Renee (Schumer) has some very relatable problems: she spends her workdays in what appears to be a dungeon, only having a stoic and mildly creepy IT guy (Adrian Martinez) for company. Although she works in the cosmetics industry, none of it has rubbed off (so-to-speak). She appears to be a personification of fashion “don’ts”; she periodically frequents health clubs for a little humiliation. It doesn’t help that she always seems to find the model’s section of spin class. Anybody can feel ugly in a room full of pretty people.
After making an intensely superficial wish, Renee returns for another chance at gym humiliation and gives herself a good bonk while misusing the exercycle. And after awakening from her concussion, she looks in the mirror and discovers a woman as svelte and attractive as any she’s ever beheld; in her eyes, Renee has magically transformed into a supermodel. And yes, this exactly like the part in Shallow Hal where Jack Black gets the whammy and suddenly sees the inner beauty in everybody … or that part in Office Space where Ron Livingston never gets unhypnotized and lives in his happy place for days on end. Renee herself hasn’t changed one iota, but how she sees herself is the difference between day and night. The feeling by itself is incredibly empowering.
What do you do when you suddenly love yourself? This is the best part of the film, where Renee lives out her pretty girl fantasies blithely unaware that she hasn’t actually changed at all. This includes deliberately seeking
a demotion (with more visibility) at work and mistaking random interactions with dudes hitting on her, including Ethan (Rory Scovel). The question is “Where is the bad in this?” Isn’t self-confidence awesome? Isn’t this exactly what she wanted, nay, needed? Isn’t Oprah correct, that this film is empowering? And were that life so easy – all you have to do is get yourself in the “I’m awesome” frame of mind and dreams follow, right? There really is something to be said for that and part of me really wanted the movie to stay there until we see exactly how self-centered Renee has become. There is great value in humility; it just rarely shows where it “counts,” like on film or in paychecks.
Occasionally hilarious and occasionally cringe-worthy, I Feel Pretty found about three or four roles to enjoy and several others making me wonder if they were supposed to be in a different screenplay. For instance, I have no idea what we’re supposed to do with single jet-setting Bruce Wayne type Grant LeClair (Tom Hopper) and his sister, company owner Avery LeClaire (Michelle Williams). I love Michelle Williams, but I can’t even tell if she’s deliberately playing comic here or not. For all the hate this film has generated, however, it will most certainly strike chord with underappreciated women. The audience around me applauded after seeing the film; that doesn’t even happen with a Tyler Perry picture. I think there’s no question Amy Schumer knows exactly what it’s like to be a modern woman facing down a world of evil, and it looks like she has to do so again just to get the imdb rating where it belongs.
♪I feel petty
Oh so petty
And I’m betting that I can deride
No regretty
Yeah, I’m not gonna let it slide
I feel harming
And disarming
‘Bout this jarring and smarming ordeal
It’s alarming
And makes me want to up and squeal♫
Rated PG-13, 110 Minutes
Director: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein
Writer: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein
Genre: The concussion of destiny
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Women of humility
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: The Alt-Right, unless, I dunno, they actually see the film
♪ Parody Inspired by “I Feel Pretty”
