Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields

This is a wonderful, interesting, and informative documentary about beautiful Brooke Shields. Gorgeous from birth, joined at the hip with an alcoholic mother, sexualized at an early age, in the public eye from childhood- she somehow has turned out to be a well adjusted wife, mother, and performer. None of it was easy.

The story of her horrific post-partum depression is heartbreaking. Her story of Zefferelli twisting her toe trying to get a look of ecstasy on her face is hilarious.

What saved her, I think, was truly not being sexualized in her private life, her intelligence, attending Princeton, and her humor. (Trying to find work in show biz after college - "Um, is that Brook with or without an E?")

Enlightening and inspiring, Shields is the true adult daughter of an alcoholic who, frankly, could be a big mess today.

Brooke Shields is incredibly impressive with her down to earth honesty in reviewing her life highlights. The documentary is concise for the most part, and while the viewer might want more focus on specific areas, it's enough to convey her often alarming story of unaware exploitation. While there has been personal and media manipulation, the history of female sexual sensationalism is spotlighted. Though she will not think of herself as a victim, what's pointed out repetitively is times have changed, and what the industry did then is not socially acceptable now. What makes this documentary great is her brave perspective and intelligent insight. Hopefully others can learn from her or more about her, if they choose to do so.

One reviewer said they remembered it all - so do I. And that they now understand what was behind it all. Again, I found that interesting because it affected all women and people of less power.

Another reviewer was unhappy that she didn't name the rapist. I wish she had too, but that's a massive legal problem that she didn't want to take on - and we don't have to pay for. But, I'm betting we all know who it was.

The one question that woke me up and that I am ashamed of myself for not asking is: Where the hell was her father in all of this? Why didn't he take the reins away from mom once in a while and protect her from some of the flagrant missteps of mom?

It's all hindsight, and this was a really good documentary because it seems to have made a lot of us actually think!

Guess I never knew much about Brook Shields. Of course you know the face, but how much more? I remember Blue Lagoon but not much else. I remember hearing the name "Pretty Baby" but I never actually saw the movie. So, I guess I'm probably like a lot of people who really only knew of Brook Shields through her modeling. I did watch Suddenly Susan from time to time also but didn't really like it. I recognized Brook as a talented comedian but again, never really gave her much attention beyond that.

Watching the documentary on Hulu accomplished multiple things for me. First, I realized just how damaged Brook Shields is thanks to the terrible parenting she suffered through as a child. If the 2-part series is to be believed, her Mother Teri basically pimped Brook out to anyone willing to pay. Sure the industry itself can certainly be blamed for taking advantage of a beautiful young girl but the two people who should've been keeping her safe, her parents, completely let her down. So in my mind, the documentary is a sad tale about a kid who was abandoned by one parent and completely abused by the other. I'm truly amazed Brook survived her childhood. So while the documentary is interesting, it's also depressing. Overall, I think it was done well but there was one glaring omission, the Father. He basically escapes the whole process here. I'd like to know how he felt about his Wife pimping out his Daughter?

Pretty Baby, the documentary about one of the 20th's century's most iconic faces, proves her beauty runs deep. In the late seventies, we were bombarded with her image of flawless beauty but as she matured we got to see something deeper about her humanity which is well captured in this film. Despite some situations which would have been legally prosecuted today, Brooke seems to accept it all as part of what makes her today. Had no idea who messed up her mother relationship was. It is a miracle she came out sane. Her path to self-discovery is something all young people can understand, but she was able to take the public's glaring and critical eye and say "That's all fine, but this is me." I saw her in a stage show of The Exorcist years ago and said "She really nailed it." It was quite an intense role and she owned it. I've always liked her and now I know better why.