Many people have gone to see Amy Schumer's new movie, "I Feel Pretty" despite the controversy surrounding it. Many critics have expressed their disgust about the shallowness that is conveyed in the movie. Schumer's character, Renee Bennett, a voluptuous and highly insecure woman working in a very glamorous industry gets a boost of confidence that makes her see her body in a new light.
This new found confidence causes a change in her behavior that is wildly noticeable. The once shy and insecure Renee turns into a confident extraverted character who is not afraid to flirt with anyone and everyone.
The negative side of the argument
Yes, the movie does focus on very vain topics like a woman's outer appearance. It seems to show that a woman can only have confidence if they believe themselves to be skinny and pretty. This is at least what has been speculated in the news. Many say that women shouldn't be taught that they can only act confident if they think they are pretty. Confidence should stem from more than just outward appearances.
Honestly, there are many ways to negate these claims.
Why the movie can be interpreted positively
Schumer defends the movie by saying that it is about fulfilling your potential. Schumer's body doesn't actually change, but her perception of it does. Many can argue that this perceptual change is something that anyone, at any shape or size, can learn to feel if they forget about the negative societal standards that create pressure for so many men and women. The movie tries to show the night and day differences between what a person can achieve if they have confidence versus what they fail to achieve if they let their insecurities get the best of them. Viewers need to remember that Schumer's body didn't change.
If her body had changed and then she got confidence, it would be easier to imply that the movie is sending negative messages to young women. But this is not the case in this film. Schumer's attitude changed, and whether or not that may seem gimmicky, it still simply shows how confidence can boost a person's success in life.
What people should take away from the movie
Whether or not people believe the movie sets a positive or a negative example, the best way to interpret the movie is as an example of how every woman should feel confident in their body because people are uniquely beautiful and the body shape does not have to change for that to be true. Check out "I Feel Pretty" in movie theaters now and decide for yourself which side of the argument you believe to be true.