I FEEL PRETTY (12A)

 

I FEEL PRETTY (12A)

Run time: 110 MINS

Director: Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein

Cast: Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Adrian Martinez, Busy Philipps, Emily Ratajkowski, Lauren Hutton, Naomi Campbell, Rory Scovel, Tom Hopper

Synopsis: Renee Barrett is a woman who struggles with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy daily. After suffering a fall at a spin class, she wakes up believing she is suddenly the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet. With this newfound confidence she is empowered to live her life fearlessly and flawlessly, but what will happen when she realizes her appearance never changed?

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYcE6joYL6o

Directors and writers Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein cast successful American stand-up comedian and actor Amy Schumer [Trainwreck (2015); Snatched (2017); Inside Amy Schumer (TV, 2013-)] as Renee – an insecure young woman who comes round from a brutal fall believing she is the most beautiful woman in the world.

When we first meet Renee it looks like she is in an American version of Graham Linehan’s brilliant The IT Crowd, in a dingy basement with nerdy co-worker Mason [Adrian Martinez – Focus (2015); The Blacklist (2017)] bemoaning the fact that they are not in the swanky Park Avenue offices of their employers – a luxury beauty brand. She is also berating Mason because they ‘don’t have any banter.’  When she gets a chance to run an errand to head office, she finds it peopled with chic, supermodel types, including a real one – Naomi Campbell – and catches a glimpse of the glamorous boss, Avery LeClaire [Michelle Williams – The Greatest Showman (2017); Manchester by the Sea (2016); Brokeback Mountain (2005)]

After the accident at the Manhattan Spin Cycle class, Renee emerges super-confident, irrepressibly enthusiastic and with no self-esteem issues.  She soon lands her dream job at Avery LeClaire cosmetics when her refreshing honesty impresses founder Lilly LeClaire [Lauren Hutton – American Gigolo (1980)] and Grant LeClair [Tom Hopper – Game of Thrones (TV, 2011-)] who wants to start a cosmetic range for the ordinary woman.

Her bewildered friends Vivian (Aidy Bryant), Jane (Busy Philipps) and laid back eventual boyfriend Ethan (Rory Scovel) are swept along by her breezy, fun and fearless attitude.

The film is a well-intentioned body-image satire, where our protagonist Renee, played by the formidable Amy Schumer, learns about superficiality – and how to deal with it.

A strong cast has a particularly funny performance from a squeaky-voiced Michele Williams as Renee’s new boss.

I Feel Pretty delivers a timely message to the young about self-esteem, confidence and treating people kindly.

Images courtesy of STX

Amy Schumer stars in I FEEL PRETTY

Rory Scovel stars in I FEEL PRETTY

Amy Schumer and Tom Hopper star in I FEEL PRETTY