Comedienne and actress Amy Schumer tries something a little different in her new movie called I Feel Pretty, which is film about body image and self-esteem. While the movie proves to be somewhat likable, it is not without its issues.
In the film, Schumer plays a woman named Renee, who is a character with somewhat more depth than ones she played in movies such as Snatched and Trainwreck. Renee takes a fitness class, and she feels uncomfortable around all the women who are more beautiful than her. This leads her to wishing she were objectively beautiful, and this wish along with a knock on her head in the aforementioned class leads her in turn to think that her wish has been granted. While everyone thinks that she looks exactly the same as before, she believes that she has actually become beautiful.
This leads to some funny moments, even if such moments are only sporadic during the course of the movie, which was directed by first-time filmmakers Marc Silverstein and Abby Kohn, who had previously co-wrote the screenplay for Never Been Kissed. Because Schumer’s Renee’s thinks that she is beautiful, her life dramatically improves. She wins the heart of Ethan — who is played by comedian Rory Scovel — and she also gets promoted at the beauty company that employs her, not realizing that she’s gotten the promotion because the company is branching out and trying to reach woman who are more ordinary looking.
Due to the thin plot, the film relies on Schumer’s oversized personality and wit, and this works for a while. But not even she can carry this on for a full two hours, especially when the entire audience knows from the very beginning how it is going to end, with Renee learning to love herself for who she is.
The film does feature a pair of excellent cameos. Michelle Williams does an excellent job playing a cosmetic heiress with self-confidence issues of her own, and Lauren Hutton is equally great as Williams’ grandmother.
In spite of its shortcomings, I Feel Pretty still provides a more human side of Schumer than audiences have seen before. Also, unlike previous Schumer comedies, it managed to avoid an R rating as well.
I Feel Pretty opens in U.S. movie theaters on April 20, and it is rated PG-13.
