The Makeover

The Makeover is itself a remake of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and the musical version of that play, My Fair Lady, but with an interesting twist; the genders of the main characters in the film have been switched. Set in Boston, The Makeover takes much of its initial energy from the contrast between the varied dialects used by the upper and lower classes of that city's population.

The film is a fun romantic comedy that is reasonably well acted and photographed. It could have been improved by continuing the musical score through the fades between scenes instead of leaving them silent, but this probably was not considered practical with a made for TV movie.

This sex-change version of George Bernard Shaw's PYGMALION (best known in its musical version of MY FAIR LADY) seems a trifle tired. It works best when it moves furthest from its source; the standout character is Elliot Doolittle's sister, although Frances Fisher as his mother is obviously having a lot of fun with the bowdlerized version of Alfie Doolittle. Julia Stiles as Higgins seems to be clueless about how things actually work and David Walton as Elliot seems to go from a mush-mouthed Southie to someone whose greatest problem with language seems to be when to use "whom" without much struggle.

However, it's a great story and despite a few missteps in the script -- intended to make it fit the standard Hallmark romcom format -- it has some great moments of actual comedy. If, unlike its original, it does not start out all head and let the emotions of the matter sneak in later, that is a choice I can understand.

One particularly praiseworthy fact is that there are a lot of shots that show how clearly this one is set in Boston, and not just the typical setting shots, but real places that someone familiar with the city would choose. I always take special pleasure in seeing things like that in a movie.

I have to confess I began watching with my son because I worked as background but I found myself forgetting about that and just smiling.. You have a sweet family movie with a moral center, talented and very smart actors. It wasn't preachy but fun... It made you think but not in a negative way. I loved the use of Boston landmarks in this.

We need more movies like this. Yes Boston does have people who talk and act that way. Boston is filled with a diverse population and this movie just sampled a small part of it. Yes I love my zombie flicks as well but this is a nice breath of fresh air.. BTW everyone onset was nice and very professional.

Well worth watching. Many people watch movies looking for things not to like about them. I watch movies and hope to enjoy them or not. If you like the characters, most times you like the movie. I liked all the characters in this movie. I enjoyed the story too.

Give me Julia Stiles in any sauce and I'll have it. I walked into this movie half way through it at lunch time when I switched on the "box" and there she was, I soon realised I had seen that movie before and loved it. Not well educated or with a very poor memory I always have trouble to associate these with Pygmalion, I probably never read anyway. But I do remember...was it Rex Harrison and the Spanish rain.... Never mind I just enjoyed this plot for what it was. As for Pygmalion, well if it has not existed that story might still be possible, and likable too, why not! It's amazing how people react differently - This guy can't believe it's possible for 2 people so different to fall in love. But one has to realise what people portrait is not necessary who they are, they may have shaped themselves through a variety of influences. However their inner personality remains to emerge... Sometimes I enjoy (in a variety of ways) reading these commentaries as much as watching the movies themselves. I'm not sure why but watching David Walton I thought I was watching Jim Carrey a little more behaved, Oh well! Oh what the story is about? hmmm it's a fairly nice story with a nice ending *SPOILER* Oh again, I should have put this at the front of the sentence. Damn!