I Feel Pretty – movie review

Pastels, heels and red wine are the order for I Feel Pretty, the new feel-good comedy from comedic It Girl, Amy Schumer.

Schumer stars as Renee, a regular girl stuck in a nothing job. She lives in a bland apartment, with self-esteem to match.  She’s emotionally propped up by her gal pals Vivien (Aidy Bryant) and Jane (Busy Philipps), who encourage her to date, to apply for more exciting jobs and be more kind to herself. Desperate to be considered ‘pretty’, Renee embarks on a health kick at the local Soul Cycle class; where she does herself a serious injury and a knock to the head.

When she wakes up in the locker room, Renee is delighted to discover she has magically become beautiful. Her perceived change of appearance has a flow-on effect to her personality. She’s soon chatting up men, entering a bikini contest, and landing her dream job as a receptionist at luxury beauty brand Lily LeClair. Renee believes her looks are responsible for her change in fortune. She can’t see that Lily LeClair CEO Avery (Michelle Williams) has actually hired her because she’s the ‘ordinary girl’ the brand needs to research their new affordable cosmetics line.

Everything is going swimmingly and Renee’s fearless attitude is both inspiring and hilarious. But while her confidence is a magnet for new boyfriend Ethan (Rory Scovel) and playboy Grant LeClair (Tom Hopper), it comes along with sass that builds a wedge in the gal-pal trio. And as we all know, magic doesn’t last, so how will Renee cope when she realises that she still looks exactly the same?

I Feel Pretty isn’t a new concept – remember Big, Suddenly 30 and even Freaky Friday? But it’s a modern twist on the life-swap genre film, with some laugh-out-loud moments. Body positivity, dating, dealing with ‘mean girls’ and self-confidence lessons are all served up with hubris and awkwardness.

While Schumer’s character has the most hang-ups, each of the characters in the story have issues of some kind. From Avery’s fear that her grandmother will never trust her to run the family business, to Rory’s shyness that makes him largely invisible. The writers have painted portraits of everyday people who are going through life, waiting for the magic to happen; and that’s why this film will resonate with so many audiences.

I Feel Pretty is a chick flick with ample chuckles and heart. It’s best enjoyed with a glass of wine and a BFF for company.

Director: Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein
Cast:Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Rory Scovel, Tom Hopper, Busy Philipps, Aidy Bryant, Lauren Hutton, Emily Ratajkowski
Release Date: 19 April 2018
Rating: M

Belinda Yench

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