PLOT: After falling and hitting her head at the gym, an insecure woman wakes up thinking she has suddenly become gorgeous.
REVIEW: Much like the lead character who magically discovers that she has confidence, I FEEL PRETTY is the kind of movie you want to love. There is much to appreciate in this well-intentioned romcom. Amy Schumer makes for a charismatic lead, as does her leading man Rory Scovel. And the idea that we should value ourselves more that we do, whether we look like a supermodel or not, is a worthy effort. And like Tilda Swinton in TRAINWRECK, Michelle Williams is the highlight of the film giving one of the funniest performances of the year. With all that, somehow this little spirit lifter never really manages to be much more than mediocre. It’s a shame because occasionally, it is damn delightful.
Amy Schumer is Renee Bennett, a woman who is constantly at odds with her weight. While she has a good enough life with her best friends Vivian and Jane (Aidy Bryant and Busy Phillips), she longs for something more. In hopes to improve her esteem and lose some weight, she takes a cycling class where she has an unfortunate accident. After hitting her head and getting a concussion, she wakes up believing that she is suddenly beautiful. With her newfound confidence, her life and career suddenly begin to improve. She lands her dream job – as a receptionist – and she meets a truly nice guy named Ethan (Rory Scovel). Yet her attitude towards those who knew her before begins to shift.
One of the most frustrating aspects of I FEEL PRETTY is just how much it gets right. Schumer is good at this kind of humor and it shows. When she lands a job at a highbrow cosmetics line run by the glamorous Lily LeClair (Lauren Hutton), the film earns legit laughs. As a receptionist, she charms the rebellious Grant LeClair (Tom Hopper) and inspires the spacey Avery LeClair (Michelle Williams). When the focus is on this, the film manages to find an inspiring moment or two. The same can be said about the romantic tryst between the leads. The chemistry between Schumer and Scovel is ridiculously good. Yet the real standout is the scene-stealing work of Williams. She fully embraces her comedic side and she gives one of the most inspired comedic performances I’ve seen in a long time.
Sounds great right? Well not completely. The film, written and directed by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, only hits its subject matter on a superficial level. The entire premise of her hitting her head and suddenly thinking she looks like a different person is incredibly flimsy. Considering the entire film hangs on that, it’s impossible to believe that not a single person would just tell her the truth. Every plot point is obvious, and equally unbelievable. How she gets her dream job as a receptionist is hard to believe – plus the romantic triangle subplot with Grant LeClair is unnecessary and boring. Even when the film tries to pay homage to the Tom Hanks classic BIG, it just feels like an excuse to force the lazy storyline.
When we see Renee through the eyes of Ethan, its nearly irresistible. It’s clear that Scovel’s Ethan sees something special in her. Every time these two were together, or Ms. Williams showed up I damn near almost enjoyed this whimsical tale. However, it is bogged down by the LeClair family drama and the best friends who are suddenly not good enough for Renee. Again, the performances are all good, but the script rarely gives them anything substantial to work with. Sure romantic comedies tend to be a bit predictable, but this rarely even attempts to rise above sitcom level confusion.
I FEEL PRETTY isn’t terrible, in fact, it gets a lot right. This PG-13 romantic comedy has moments of inspiration, but the entire premise it hangs on never fully works and the look of the film isn't much better. Yet, I’d almost have to give a slight recommendation simply for the charming pairing of Schumer and Scovel, if only the two had a better script to work with. And then there is Michelle Williams. We all knew she was an incredible talent, but this is kind of extraordinary. The actress pulls off a hilarious performance, one that never feels forced. Honestly, I struggled with my grade simply because she is that good in this. Good intentions aside, this is a flick better suited for Netflix, as opposed to rushing out to the theatre. It’s just not a pretty as it wants to be.