It does little to forward the feminist agenda but is a great film for anyone seeking entertainment from their mundane lives.
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Starring Amy Schumer, I Feel Pretty confronts issues of body image and insecurities. Schumer plays Renee Benett, an office girl who works in the basement office of a fictional high-end cosmetic brand, Lily Leclaire. During a gym workout, she falls and hits her head. When she wakes up from her mini concussion, she feels and looks different to herself, although she is essentially the same person.
With her newly gained confidence and perspective of herself, Renee lands herself a boyfriend (Rory Scove), and even gets to work as the receptionist of the Lily Leclaire headquarters on fifth avenue. Her career and love life are blooming, and she’s never been happier, which assumes that one’s self-worth comes from being acknowledged by other people. This proves the movie to be somewhat problematic. Much of the movie has gotten flak from how Amy Schumer, a privileged white woman who’s hardly overweight by American standards, is portrayed to be struggling with her body image.
Yet, this film is a good reminder that everyone struggles with their own insecurities. The boss of Lily Leclaire, Avery (Michelle Williams) feels inferior in the face of her grandmother, the company’s founder. She’s insecure about her baby-voice, which proves the show-stealer of the movie. Other characters face their own insecurities as well, which really serves to highlight the confidence of Renee and how confidence can transform one’s life. Beauty standards may differ across the world, but confidence is a universally acknowledged attractive trait one can possess.
The film is relatable and funny, but the plot is shallow and superficial. It does little to forward the feminist agenda but is a great film for anyone seeking entertainment from their mundane lives.
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