Pretty Ugly People

I expected more when I saw the accolades but I'm disappointed in the film. I guess this film is supposed to be about a life changing four days for Lucy and her college friends. Years past, they get married, divorced, and have children and careers. A star cast includes Missi Pyle and Melissa McCarthy. The other cast members are fine but the script is weak. The film has great scenery. I can't get past the negativeness of the film. There is no character to root for anyway. Sure, Lucy loses the weight but her mind as well. She thinks her weight loss will lead to feeling accepted and an equal peer. Lucy has a self esteem issue as well. Things change but not much.

Pretty Ugly People is pretty unremarkable. The set-up and general tone of the movie would suggest a quirky independent romp. It may aim for this title, but it's mostly bland and patronizing. A big lass loses weight and arranges a trip for some friends. They all learn valuable lessons and "discover" themselves. These characters aren't horrible enough for any grand changes, nor or they nice enough to actually like. The protagonist is the biggest bitch of all, allowing her friends to believe she is dying. It's a horrible tactic that only the best writing could salvage a heart from. Unfortunately, such talented scripting is absent here.

36? 38? I mean seriously. We've been watching this movie for 40 years. College 'friends' together and share their horrific personalities with each other. Because not speaking to each other for decades only to jump on a plane for a long weekend in the woods is a thing people do. And especially when they lose 300 lbs to rub in your 'friends' faces. And because all of that is the rational act of sane people, gather up these people to 'share your last 4 lbs weight loss. You know, because no one grows and changes in 20 years. We do gain some insight into the former fat girl though. She's still an angry control freak.

Anyway it pulls every stereotype off the shelf. Uptight Oreo black guy, street black girl, rich douchebag, gay douchebag, friend zone guy, old guy, hillbilly, and of course Melissa McCarthy in her patented hysterical fat girl with borderline personality disorder.

But I tell you it never gets old watching near 40 year olds act like 17 year olds imagining what 30 year olds act like. When do they grow up? 45? 50?

I went to see this today at the Laemmle Sunset. I like Missy Pyle, but 15-20 minutes in and she had barely appeared. What showed up instead were an entirely implausible group of "friends" spouting banal, dreary quips about how they still happened to be connected--which I did not buy in the least.

I was pleased that the cameo from the always-marvelous Allison Janney came within those first 15 minutes. It wasn't well-written, but she did the best she could.

After a joke about black people being noticeable in the West because there are so few of them was made not once, but 3 times, I walked out. Life's too short for bad work like this nonsense.

Bad movie.

REALLY bad movie. Did an adult make this?

Bums me out that loads and loads of money and work go into what is essentially no more than a blatant Todd Solondz-inspired, mean spirited comedy full of cliché characters and obvious jokes and story lines.

Wait, did I say "Todd Solondz-inspired?" Ha. How nice of me. This is a Todd Solondz rip-off. Waste of money. Waste of time. Piece of s**t. Imagine if the guys who own McDonalds attempted to rip-off Todd and you'll have a pretty good idea of how much soul this film has.

Really, though, I can't help but shed a little tear for the film US industry whenever I see a movie like this. Actual adults put their time and money into this project. Bad humor. Bad writing. Bad acting. Great resources. For every $20,000 spent on a film like this, there is a unique indie film maker out there wishing he/she could catch a break.