You can’t win when you’re writing about Amy Schumer.
Mention her once and you’ll be bombarded with comments about the offensive things she’s said or her penchant for lifting bits from other comedians. If you don’t mention her, you’re ignoring one of the biggest names currently in comedy.
So how do you write about Amy Schumer’s new movie I Feel Pretty?
Well, I didn’t see it so I don’t actually know. I didn’t avoid it out of protest, but some boring-but-important Mom Stuff got in the way and I had to bail. My new-favorite Film Critic, Chris Jones did see I Feel Pretty though, so I posted his review below. You can skip the rest of my rant and scroll straight to that if you want, or find other Rotten Tomatoes reviews HERE.
I didn’t really want to see I Feel Pretty though, based on the message it’s trying to deliver.
Amy Schumer’s character hits her head and wakes up thinking she’s beautiful. She ends up living a happy and successful life because she no longer lets her insecurities get in the way. In other words, women are their own worst enemies because they don’t believe in themselves.
OK, but we already knew that.
The world is filled with “imperfect” women who are actually really happy. Sure, they might wish they were prettier or thinner but they still manage to live perfectly successful lives. The world is also filled with beautiful women who are miserable. Who knows why. Maybe they’re overwhelmed by the hamster-wheel of staying pretty or becoming more beautiful. Maybe they grew up being told they were beautiful and just assumed they’d be happier than they are. Whatever the reason, beauty doesn’t guarantee happiness, which we knew long before I Feel Pretty tried to over-explain it.
We also know it’s all bullsh*t in a world that keeps insisting Beauty is Everything. Every Beauty Is Only Skin-Deep message is followed by billions of make-up, anti-aging, and weight-loss advertisements.
Even I Feel Pretty contradicts it’s own message by giving us a perfectly attractive heroine, Amy Schumer, and telling us that she isn’t pretty.
Part of Schumer’s appeal is that she’s adorable and fun to watch, but I Feel Pretty wants us to believe that she’s ugly enough to scare a child. It puts her in a wet t-shirt contest and turns her into a site-gag.
I Feel Pretty is like a snake that’s eating it’s own tail, while wearing a The Future is Female t-shirt.
Thanks but no thanks. I’ll get my confusing messages elsewhere…because they’re literally everywhere.
Please enjoy Chris Jones’ review below (and subscribe to his channel) because he is also adorable and he actually saw I Feel Pretty.