I Feel Pretty 2018 * * 1/2 Stars

Directors: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein
Year: 2018
Rated PG-13
Rating: * * 1/2 Stars
Cast: Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Rory Scovel

"Just thought I'd give you a sneak peak". So quips Amy Schumer in I Feel Pretty, a syrupy, sort of lightweight NYC comedy that projects as a clear star vehicle for Schumer. As something about a woman who hits her head and then awakens to see that she's hotter than she really is, "Pretty" contains few laughs and has a tone that's somewhat facile. However, it's a film that promotes the heartfelt message of true beauty being on the inside.

Schumer produces and stars in I Feel Pretty. In the part of insecure and full-figured Renee Bennett, Amy is perfectly cast and appears less haughty than she was in Trainwreck. Having seen her in other movies, it's obvious she put on some considerable weight here. Her Renee needed severe dedication and a certain amount of character diving. Schumer accomplishes both of these feats with assumable aplomb.

So yeah, "Pretty" is serviceable and there's ample commitment by Schumer. However, the pic tends to hold back a bit. Containing a PG-13 rating when a hard R could've let everyone roam a little freer, I Feel Pretty is like 2001's Shallow Hal without a visible gimmick (maybe there were budget constraints).

When Schumer's Renee looks in the mirror, she sees a sexy blond but for us the moviegoer, it's all left up to the imagination. We don't get that image in something like "Hal". You know, the scene where Jack Black is glimpsing Gwyneth Paltrow sans stout suit.

Aw heck, "Pretty" is a little frustrating anyway and the script by directors Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, well it makes the audience emerge smarter than the two-dimensional characters and their unwary motivations (Shumer's love interest played by Rory Scovel is the lone exception).

In hindsight, Amy Schumer is credible and staunch, Kohn and Sliverstein's direction is solidly apt, and Michelle Williams is shockingly creepy in a supporting role. However, I Feel Pretty "feels" patchwork-like, devoid of risk, and kind of heedful. I'm gonna go with a mixed review. Rating: 2 and a half stars.

Written by Jesse Burleson