When was the last time you looked in the mirror and actually said something nice, or thought something nice? Really, be honest now… when?
Chances are you probably can’t’ remember!
And it’s not because there’s nothing nice to say, it’s because we have become so accustomed to criticising ourselves and each other, that the mere thought of saying some remotely nice makes us chuckle with discomfort.
It is this negative and dangerous behaviour that sparked the making of Amy Schumer’s latest film ‘I Feel Pretty’ – a movie so timely and important it’s breaking records and making headlines.
If you don’t know the synopsis let me sum it up …
Amy plays Rene, a smart, gorgeous and funny girl who has terrible self-esteem, and who’s greatest wish is to be pretty. During a soul cycle accident, Rene hits her head, and when she comes to, sees her reflection as a drop dead gorgeous model.
Suddenly her life begins to change; she’s happy, she’s confident, opportunities begin to open up left right and centre – the twist? She looks absolutely no different to the rest of world.
I’ll be honest with you ladies, I bawled my eyes out throughout so much of this movie – mostly because I (along with many many girls and women I know) have stood in front of that mirror more times that I would like to admit, wishing to just be beautiful, believing that if only I could change how I looked, maybe my life would change to.
The truth is, what makes people infectious – has absolutely NOTHING to do with how they look, and everything to do with their personality, how they treat themselves, how they treat others.
I was heartbroken to read some of the criticism of the movie – mostly because I’m willing to be that if this were a makeover movie and Rene was the girl who ‘transformed’ into some concept of beauty, no one would bat an eyelid – but it would defeat the entire point!
This movie is the voice of reason we all need to hear – telling us that the time has comes to stop wanting to be someone else and embrace ourselves, embrace each other for that matter. This is not a movie to put down anyone’s appearance, but rather to bring us all together and realize that no one is perfect, but the perfect version of themselves.
If you haven’t seen it yet – do yourself a favour! Take your girlfriends, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, daughters and let’s start braking the cycle of self-criticism we have become way too accustomed to.
Image courtesy of Entertainment One Australia
