I Feel Pretty is set to be released in cinema’s this week but many women are saying that the Amy Schumer film storyline is “insulting”.
Amy Schumer’s latest film, I Feel Pretty, at first glance would appear like a cinematic success – a story about a woman who begins dressing hotter and dreaming bigger after waking up thinking she’s a supermodel. In the end, she realises that it wasn’t her looks that changed but her attitude.
However, the film is getting some worrying responses from women around the world with many saying that the film is “fat-phobic” and that Amy Schumer is too thin, pretty and “abled” to play someone that appears to be so mediocre and bland.
Interestingly, it is probably this exact script that would appeal to Amy Schumer so much given the routine abuse she receives online with people calling her fat and/or ugly. The actress is known for standing her ground and portraying a confident version of herself. As a comedian, she regularly advocates for strength and power within women and standing up for yourself.
The negative first responses may well add to the hype of the film and its success. It could help to spur it on as many are now more eager to see the film and its apparent ‘controversial story-line’. However, regardless of the film’s success, it could spell trouble for a long time staple of the film industry, a female makeover movie.
There has certainly been no shortage of films where we see a clumsy and understated female realise her potential through fashion, confidence and a go-get attitude. Just look at My Fair Lady, Clueless and Pretty Woman.
These films highlight the essence of beauty and that is just a little confidence can make all the difference as the woman’s true beauty is able to really shine through.
I Feel Pretty is really no different putting its own spin on these Hollywood classics. Amy Schumer’s realisation and transformation happens entirely inside her own head without others telling her so or a concerted effort to make change.
But it still focuses on the physical aspects of the woman and may be the core of the problem – in today’s society, physical change is no longer the trend as women are seen as perfect the way they are.
Bethany Cosentino, singer of the American rock band Best Coast, summed this up well with her tweet saying, “why is a movie about a woman who isn’t happy or confident until she sees herself as a supermodel even being made in 2018?”
The movies that empower women today are no longer the standard realisation of beauty, they are about empowerment and strength. Think Wonder Woman, a movie that highlights her strength, competency and superiority.