A life lesson from Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer is a high-energy entertainer famous for her stand-up comedy and raw sense of humour. In recent years, she has carried her talent to the big screen and came out with her book The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo. Schumer is the producer and star in her new film, “I Feel Pretty”, a comedy about self-love and body positivity. A statement from The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo is also illustrated in I Feel Pretty: “Beautiful, ugly, funny, boring, smart or not, my vulnerability is my ultimate strength.” If you have not had the chance to see the movie in theatres this past month, the movie is already available on uk.chili.com.

“I Feel Pretty” is the story of Renee Bennett, a woman in her mid-thirties who works for a luxury make-up brand. She is fixated on beauty and image, and we see her as she looks in the mirror with sad eyes and criticises her body. During a SoulCycle class, Renee gets conked on the head and wakes up with a very different perspective, as if she magically became “beautiful”. But she does not understand that it is not her physical appearance that has changed, but her perspective. The self-confidence that she was missing before bumping her head comes in full force as she starts re-introducing herself to her friends, partaking in a bikini contest and shifting her romantic life. Viewers follow along as Renee embarks on a journey of self-love and witness just how much perspective can change your life.

There a number of life lessons in the movie, starting even with the film poster that reads, “attitude is everything”. The expression, “it is what is on the inside that matters” is true to its core, but yes, in today’s society one cannot deny that the outside pressures and all that come with them, make it hard to always believe that. I Feel Pretty tells us no matter what, to love yourself. Beauty standards suck, but looking at yourself in the mirror and questioning yourself will not be benefit you. It is so important to be able to appreciate beauty around you, without questioning your own. Another wonderful lesson in the movie is about the importance of having friends, a lesson that Renee learns along with the fact that her friends love her for who she is, and that’s that. Perhaps some of the lessons gained from the movie might sound cheesy – but they are powerful: honour yourself, communicate what you are feeling, stand up for yourself, remember that everyone has insecurities and is battling their own battles, and above all, love yourself.

Even if all critics did not enjoy it, “I Feel Pretty” is definitely worth watching. If even just for a minute, the movie makes you reflect on how you treat yourself and those around, that is a pretty good takeaway.