Parents' Guide to I Feel Pretty

Movie PG-13 2018 110 minutes
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Common Sense Media Review

Sandie Angulo Chen By Sandie Angulo Chen , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Fun but uneven comedy tackles self-esteem; some racy bits.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 14+

Based on 20 parent reviews

age 13+

Based on 29 kid reviews

Kids say the movie is a funny and inspiring portrayal of self-confidence and body image, though some reviews note inappropriate content, including strong language, drug references, and brief sexual scenes. Overall, it is recommended for older children and teens, as it provides positive messages despite some reservations regarding its suitability for younger viewers.

  • humor and inspiration
  • suitable for teens
  • inappropriate content
  • positive messages
  • body image themes
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

I FEEL PRETTY follows single New Yorker Renee Bennett (Amy Schumer), who's extremely insecure about her looks and feels inadequate compared to the statuesque models who seem to surround her in the city. After suffering a head injury in spin class, Renee blacks out. When she wakes up, she believes her dream of transforming into a gorgeous beauty has magically come true. No one in the movie (or anyone watching it, for that matter) can see how Renee imagines herself, but her new sense of confidence empowers her to live boldly and without fear of rejection. She starts to charm others, who believe she simply has an outsized ego, and she lands a new job for cosmetics heiress Avery LeClaire (Michelle Williams), as well as a new boyfriend, Ethan (Rory Scovel). But eventually Renee's belief in her own beauty begins to affect how she treats and perceives others, including her best friends (Aidy Bryant and Busy Philipps).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 20 ):
Kids say ( 29 ):

Schumer's considerable physical comedy skills, paired with standout supporting performances, make this "go girl" comedy a fun pick for a ladies' night at the movies, despite some inconsistency. It's hard not to laugh when Schumer is so good at making an insecure, at times even unlikable character transform into what seems like a woman who's very comfortable with her body and herself. The problem, of course, is that the audience can't tell whether Renee is seeing her true self and just now believes she's hot as-is, or if her obvious concussion has magically caused some kind of Shallow Hal situation in her mind, making her see herself like her fellow SoulCycle classmate, a model played by Emily Ratajkowski.

Williams is hilarious as Avery, a cosmetics CEO who must impress her grandmother (who started the company). Avery's employees initially balk at the idea of a size 10 woman being in their presence, until Renee wins them all over with her charm. The romance between Renee and Ethan is adorable and easy to buy into, but there's also a somewhat off-putting, difficult-to-believe chemistry between Renee and Grant (Tom Hopper), Avery's womanizing brother. The movie works best when Renee is with Ethan or her best friends, lovingly played by Bryant and Philipps (who happens to be married to the co-director, Marc Silverstein). The two besties, who don't share in Renee's crippling insecurity and don't understand why all of a sudden she's acting like she is, are the real beauties of the film, because they don't require a transformation (either imagined or real) to be their true selves.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about who the role models are in I Feel Pretty. What makes them role models? Do they demonstrate any character strengths?

  • What does Renee learn about confidence, body acceptance, and friendship by the end of the movie? Can you think of other movies that celebrate and empower women and girls?

  • How does the movie depict sex? How do the male and female characters relate to one another? How are they defined by each other?

  • How is drinking portrayed? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

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