I Feel Pretty Blu-ray Review
Eric Sloss
September 18th, 2018
I FEEL PRETTY feels like a concept that doesn’t quite come together. It has good intentions and good performances. But it doesn’t quite hit the mark. Since it is a comedy, there are not enough laughs to go around. If you’re at least funny, that can go a long way in hiding the flaws of a script.
Amy Schumer has had a nice run of success for the past half decade. She helmed a successful sketch comedy series on Comedy Central. Her standup routines get big crowds. She wrote a bestselling book. She also had hits on film and on Broadway. She is not afraid to take risks and be edgy. She is known to take on taboo subjects with great agility and aplomb. That’s why this film is a bit of a disappointment. It is safe.
Schumer stars as Renee Bennett, a low level worker for the website of a popular cosmetics company named Lily LeClaire. She works in a dingy Chinatown basement office with a slovenly guy named Mason (Adrian Martinez). This part starts off the process of losing me as an audience member. Why in the world would a successful company put two key members of their company in a place like this? It wouldn’t. It’s part of the lazy comedy employed throughout the film.
Renee has very low self esteem. She frets constantly about her looks and weight. She tries to get into shape, but she embarrassingly breaks the bike and slinks away. She has two dedicated and loyal friends in Vivian (Aidy Bryant) and Jane (Busy Philips). They don’t care how she looks. They think she’s funny and kind and fine the way she is. All of them are looking to branch out into the dating pool with little luck.
A receptionist job opens up at Lily LeClaire at the home office. Renee hesitates to apply for it because she doesn’t feel she’s pretty or slender enough to be the first person greeting people. Avery LeClaire (Michelle Williams) is the CEO of the company founded by her grandmother Lilly (Lauren Hutton). Avery has a high pitched voice that has caused her issues throughout her life of getting respect. This is once again a one note joke. You chuckle one time about it and move on. Avery is struggling with the concept of the diffusion line. This line is more affordable and would be in stores like Target rather than Bloomingdale’s. She gets advice from her grandmother at a key meeting. This film has all sorts of problem with the Avery character. She is seen as dumb in some scenes, but in other scenes she is quite perceptive. She even rattles off her business accomplishments at one point. It is all over the place how they present her. It is like this in various parts of the story.
Renee gets inspired by the movie “Big” and tries to wish her way to a more beautiful persona in her eyes. It doesn’t work at first. She goes back for another round of SoulCycle. Another accident occurs where she hits her head on the floor. When she awakes, she sees herself with a more pleasing face and body. Nothing though changes for her. It is all in her mind. But she sees what she wants to see. Everyone else sees her as she was.
Renee thinks her friends won’t recognize her new body. At first they like this new confidence they see out of her. Renee starts to see now all the advantages that pretty women get. They are all coincidences, but not to her. At the dry cleaner, she thinks a guy is hitting on her when he isn’t. His name is Ethan (Rory Scovel). He is taken aback by her new found boldness, but soon grows fond of it as they start a blossoming relationship. Renee also applies for the receptionist job and gets it when she impresses Avery with her abundant confidence for who she is.
Renee is a hit at work as she knows exactly what people want and she enthusiastically attacks her job. Grant LeClaire (Tom Hopper), Avery’s brother and Lily’s grandson, notices her right away and takes note of it.
Schumer is definitely not afraid in this role. She has a memorable scene in a bikini contest. She shows each side of the self esteem spectrum. She’s vulnerable when she’s feeling down and depressed. And she’s spunky and vivacious when she thinks her entire body has changed. She is not the problem in the film. There are just not enough laughs and not enough bite here. It is quite predictable on how this will turn out. Renee gets stuck up and turns off her friends. She starts treating people at work poorly. The ending is how you would expect it. It is wrapped in a nice neat bow.
I FEEL PRETTY has some nice moments and a good message about self esteem and learning to love yourself. There just isn’t enough meat on the bones to satisfy comedy lovers and it falls flat.
BLU-RAY REVIEW
Video: The video captures New York City in all its glory. The colors of Schumer’s outfits really pop on screen.
Sound: The sound was generally. I did put on the closed captioning to capture all of the dialogue, but didn’t really need to use it.
Deleted Scenes (8:50): There are six in all. There was one dealing with a fortune cookie that might have been overkill with the themes of the film. There are two scenes fleshing out the Renee and Ethan relationship more. There are scenes with the magic bike, work friends and her Renee’s disillusionment when her spell wears off.
Gag Reel (5:24): There are many scenes regarding people flubbing their lines or improvising. I’ve seen much better gag reels than this.
Being Pretty (:54): This is a very short segment of the actors discussing what it is to feel pretty.
