Pretty Ugly People (2008)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The acting in this movie is really good.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

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?

@@@Possible to read into a SPOILER@@@ Entertaining with good casting. I'm the first to mention that there are 3 Oscar recipients/nominee from this humble B movie. Missy Pyle for The Artist which won....Octavia Spencer won for The Help...Melissa McCarthy nominated for Bridesmaids! All in the same year, too! Wow.. Who knew? All actors were believable when they were annoyed, vulnerable, sad, happy, hopeful. Even after watching, the entertainment goes on when you find out that the actor who played George has a Congressman father, and two of the other actors are gay, but not the ones from the movie. What's not to like? The plot was original.....the characters were believable...the script delivered various emotions...there were surprises...the ending I wish was longer, but it's good enough.

If you like your jokes innocent and inoffensive Pretty Ugly People is not for you. If you enjoy the average American TV-comedy, like Cheers, the Cosby Show or Friends, stay away from this as far as you can. If you think relation problems and human condition are to be take seriously and nothing to be mocked, if you think Oprah a source of wisdom and if you want to be comforted by some superficial moral lesson, you will think Pretty Ugly People an insult to political correctness. In the latter case you're right.Pretty Ugly People doesn't show how people should be like, it shows how people actually are in reality. People tend to marry each other for the wrong reasons. Why else divorce? They can be egocentric and often hurt each other, exactly like the characters in Pretty Ugly People. A large part of the audience can't stomach that and prefers wearing blinkers.So the point of Pretty Ugly People is not that the spectator should care for one or more characters. Pretty Ugly People holds a mirror and shows human failure. It does it by spoofing the genre of the well-meaning relation movies. The characters in Pretty Ugly People often say and do the wrong things on the wrong moments. Exactly that is what happens in every day life - why else all those quarrels?Still Pretty Ugly People essentially is a feel good movie. In the end everybody is happy. Sure, two characters die, but one was irrelevant for the story. The other, Richard, was a sour man who still showed remorse before closing his eyes. And his death gave his wife Betty the opportunity to find happiness after all. Even the black congressman found what he was looking for, in a rather unusual way.Now Pretty Ugly People is far from perfect. It could have had more politically incorrect jokes and drags a bit now and then. But I see it as a most welcome slightly cynical parody of all that moralistic stuff that has been released last couple of years.

My 2 girlfriends and I saw this in Palm Springs and thought it was a great piece. It kept me laughing through the entire film, although I thought there were a few too many "F" words and felt they detracted from the enjoyment. You didn't need them! The actors were great and look forward to seeing them again. Thanks for being at the screening--I enjoyed the background about the movie. I now have a better understanding about the pitfalls there can be in making a low budget, independent film and how you over came so many to make a great film. I can't wait for your next venture..."The Help". Hopefully the Palm Springs Film Festival will not reject that one or any others you plan to submit.