I Feel Pretty

Movie Name:  I Feel Pretty
Year of Release: 2018

Director: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein

Stars: Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Rory Scovel, Adrian Martinez, Busy Philips, Aidy Bryant, Lauren Hutton, Tom Hopper, Naomi Campbell, Sasheer Zamata, Caroline Day, Olivia Culpo, Gia Crovatin

Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis & Review:

"I Feel Pretty" is the feature directorial debut for Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, after a prolific career as screenwriters for mostly comedies, which has included Raja Gosnell's "Never Been Kissed", Ken Kwapis' "He's Just Not that Into You" and Garry Marshall's "Valentine's Day". The film follows the story of Renee Bennett, a professional knowledgable woman, who has always felt insecure about her looks. She works for a cosmetics company in their e-commerce arm of the business. After a freak accident at a spinning class, Renee is delighted to realize, upon looking in the mirror, that she's absolutely stunning - she's under the impression her body has gone through a profound change (that only she can tell). This new realization reinvigorates her ambition, passion and self-worth, making her pursue what she wants in her career and personal life, and in the process inspiring her boss, Avery, to also take chances and have a voice of her own.
"I Feel Pretty" feels at times like two films competing for the same real estate or screen time. On one hand, there's the Amy Schumer led storyline, which feels like it wants to be riskier and edgier, and on the other hand, there's the more sanitized and conventional plot, which all the trappings of a mediocre romantic comedy, which is what the film ends up embarking on. What has always been interesting about Amy Schumer, the central performance of the film, is how her type of comedy oscillates between the self deprecating, self mocking and inadequacy, and the strong voice she brings to women who don't feel the need to be fitted in a particular cliché or role. The film which is perfectly tailored to her strengths, and features a lot of her accomplices from her sketch show, sadly dims the edgier material she thrives on, going instead for a tone that is predictable, sugary and instantly forgettable. What made her "Trainwreck" film so interesting, was the opportunity it gave her to balance the rougher sides of her personality, with the sweeter, all under the guise of a romantic comedy. This film mostly feels like someone shaved almost everything that has always made her an interesting voice in comedy, in order to make a palatable comedy to please "everyone". In an attempt to reach a wider canvas, this film has turned out to be completely anonymous. The supporting cast doesn't really stand out much, with the exception of the talented Michelle Williams, who even in a small role, proves that she has a versatility that continues to impress. A missed opportunity.