I Feel Pretty: A Funny Girl Comedy of Expression

Some films give you a kind of will-I-or-won’t-I-like-this question mark. One of the more recent films to play at the box office is I Feel Pretty. A kind of fish-out-of-water comedy with promotion that made me ask myself this question. Though in this case, the hesitation is more about the leading lady than the plot.

I Feel Pretty (2018) Film Review

Average is the best life seems to be for Renee Barrett (Amy Schumer). According to the fashion world, Renee is overweight without sense of style and is too plain to be “pretty.” Nowhere near where she wants her life to be, for the time being she “settles.” She settles in her crummy IT job, sure the perfect job is beyond her grasp, and certainly, apart from her girl friends, there’s no one who will love her. Then things change when she becomes fit, pretty and confident. Or that’s what she sees…

The reality is, Renee looks no different than she did yesterday. All that changes is her outlook on life, an outlet that nets her an incredible job… and maybe, just maybe, her soul mate.

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Much as I follow the crowd and flock to the cinema to see the latest action productions, sometimes it’s nice to see a film with quieter feels. This chick flick is one such film. In a world that tells us to love ourselves as we are, this message will resonate with many female viewers. But beyond this, I do like that the film suggests something a little deeper – subtle though this is.

Its ultimate message is one of positivity and acceptance, but also suggests that engaging in activities that will help make us stronger and healthier isn’t bad. Society seems to forget this in their message of self-love. Just because someone works out or makes healthier eating choices doesn’t mean that person is constantly worried about a number on the scale. It simply means they are caring for themselves in the way they believe is healthy. I appreciate that this film does offer a nod to this without pulling from the script’s takeaway.

Amy Schumer may be considered one of Hollywood’s funniest comedians, but for me, her stuff is too crude to enjoy. This is why there is some hesitance in picking up any of her films. But I Feel Pretty is the exception. There’s something infectious about the film and Amy’s character. Her know-who-I-am attitude blossom is fun to see develop, and is, in some small ways, something we might all learn to mirror. She’s also quite good and convincing in this role. The supporting cast, particularly Michelle Williams, also suits the characters they play.

Finally, another thing I like about this script is that no one does what we expect them to do. Thanks to movie stereotypes, we watch for a “betrayal” or at the very least, that “mean girl” humiliation moment. In this story, that’s missing for which I’m grateful. It gives the story a more full circle and complete portrait. With its colorful heroine (literally and figuratively speaking), those who enjoy a lighthearted comedy will discover I Feel Pretty is a diamond in the rough.

Content: there is some commonplace profanity (including the use of one f-word), and some sexual innuendo. Also, there’s a suggestive sex scene played for laughs, but really, it falls flat. The film is appropriately rated PG-13.