WHAT MIRROR? WHERE?
Movie Review – I Feel Pretty
Review by Paul Preston
I Feel Pretty finds star/producer Amy Schumer in her wheelhouse. Much like Kathy Griffin is best when she dishes on celebrities or Bill Maher is best when he talks politics, Schumer is most on point when she tackles women’s body and self-esteem issues. The plot of I Feel Pretty sees Schumer as a frumpy IT employee working for a beauty magazine (in a dingy Chinatown basement) who hits her head at the gym, wakes up and suddenly sees her reflection as having a supermodel’s looks.
The problem is that it’s only Schumer who sees the stunning beauty in the mirror, everyone else sees Schumer as she is. Or…is it a problem? The boost of confidence Schumer’s Renee gets from an altered perspective on her looks starts to advance her career, gain her new friends and ultimately lead her towards romance.
Despite the film’s unremarkable execution, the zeal with which Schumer jumps into Renee, asking us to root for her, is contagious. She’s fun to watch (as always, I find), but about half the scenes of this movie are rushed or delivered with the ham-fistedness of a sitcom. Schumer is good casting not only because this is her kind of material, but when a scene threatens to underwhelm, you can count on Amy for a few good one-liners, at least.
As for those around Schumer, there are plenty of welcome players. Michelle Williams is on a hot streak with a great performance in All the Money in the World and a lead part in the audience hit The Greatest Showman. She does a 180º from her dramatic turns and goes full-on over-the-top as the head of the style mag and Renee’s boss. Williams’ Avery suffers from a slight voice and she goes for it in that delightfully wispy way that’s creepy, but because it’s Williams, she anchors the performance in some realism and pain that plays out late in the film.
Also, Emily Ratajkowski plays a role that has the most depth she’s had to date and show’s she’s up to it, and like with Trainwreck’s Bill Hader, Schumer is paired with an unlikely leading man, in this case, stand-up comic Rory Scovel. Scovel is charming and garners his own empathy for loneliness and social awkwardness. I’m a huge fan of Scovel’s stand-up and hope this leads to more screen appearances for him. If you want to see one of the funniest comedian appearances I’ve ever seen on TV, check out Scovel on Conan with John Dore:
Not only is the film’s conceit a statement on beauty, but it’s a goof on the type of movies that have one-trick gimmicks like this. It’s never played out with a wink to the audience, but instead the film embraces the sincerity of an equally gimmick-heavy plot like What Women Want or Overboard.
The film’s premise is one worth exploring, and there are enough laughs to bide your time. But there is a missed opportunity to really nail the skinny-worshipers to the wall. The finale is the unfortunate result of, again, a plot device worthy of a sitcom where Renee and her co-worker take over a makeup presentation with, y’now, a light and sound board and a few slides. It’s hack and the monologue Amy gives as the film’s closing argument is earnest, but in the hands of first-time directors Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein (who also wrote), it feels required and goofy more than a real final statement that buries Renee’s naysayers. The steadier hand of Trainwreck’s Judd Apatow might’ve yielded better results as to the effect of the overall film.
But come for Amy Schumer, stay for Amy Schumer, and at the end, at least you got plenty of Amy Schumer.
Directed by: Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein
Release Date: April 20, 2018
Run Time: 110 Minutes
Rated: PG-13
Country: USA/China
Distributor: STX
