No-holds-barred actor, writer, stand-up comic and producer Amy Schumer is back on the big screen as Renee Bennett in I Feel Pretty. Renee is a woman who struggles with feelings of deep insecurity and low self-esteem that hold her back every day.
One day, Renee wakes from a brutal fall in an exercise class believing she is suddenly a supermodel. With this newfound confidence she is empowered to live her life fearlessly and flawlessly, but what will happen when she realises her appearance never changed?
The idea for I Feel Pretty and the premise that a head injury causes a major change for a woman and her self-image began brewing with writer-directors Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein several years ago.
It’s an homage and also makes fun of Big and Tootsie and some of the other great switcheroo movies we loved growing up
“We knew we’d be threading the needle with the tone, but thought it could be really funny and say something we believe in,” says Kohn. “We also knew we wanted to direct it, so we kept it on the back-burner until we could give it time.”
Inspiration also came from some of their mutual favourite films.
“It’s an homage and also makes fun of Big and Tootsie and some of the other great switcheroo movies we loved growing up,” said Silverstein. “They don’t really make movies like that now, so we had to make this one feel fresh, not like something from the 1980s or 1990s.”
The duo was adamant that the film would be grounded in reality, so they eschewed any effects, wanting the film to focus purely on Renee’s perception of herself and how she feels the world sees her.
Kohn recalls: “One of the challenges was getting everyone on board with the idea that we are never going to see this girl any differently than she is – and that’s what the fun is!”
“The thing that attracted me to the movie was the message,” says Schumer. “It’s the exact thing I wanted to communicate at the exact time. All I ever want to do is make people laugh and feel better, and I think this story does just that.”
Schumer says that relating to the character was easy, describing her as a compilation of all her friends and herself, and how people often wish their best friends could see themselves as they see them. “Renee doesn’t know the potential she’s working with. I hope that watching her have this kind of arc will help other people,” she adds.
While playing the self-confident gregarious Renee post-accident was easy, Schumer admits that the biggest challenge for her was playing Renee before she hits her head. “To really let that vulnerability and low self-esteem flow through you while you live it out on camera is hard and emotional,” she muses. “It’s easier to play the Sasha Fierce version of her where she feels she’s got it going on.”
Schumer’s commitment to both versions of Renee thrilled the film-makers. “Amy is fearless and will go for these scenes without ego or vanity which is so much fun with a comedy that revolves around one person,” said Kohn. “You would not get the same kind of comedy or emotion with someone who is worried about how they look.
“Not only is Amy the funniest woman working in show business, but she also has a deep underlying sweetness and optimism,” said Silverstein. “The character needs this – we don’t want her coming off as mean or snide when she starts to feel attractive. Amy’s able to push the comedy, yet keep it real and grounded, and make people root for her. The places she goes as an actress and the depth of feeling she gets to in this performance will resonate with a lot of different people.”