Amy Schumer’s latest movie is already facing backlash because it doesn’t exactly have a body-positive message

The just-released trailer for Amy Schumer’s new comedy I Feel Pretty features a woman who feels great about herself. She’s considering a career in modeling. She knows dudes are dying to get her digits. She struts down the street with her head held high. Oh, and she also hit that head during a SoulCycle class and that’s the reason she sees herself as beautiful. It’s that last detail, and I Feel Pretty framing it as hilarious, that has people talking about what exactly the movie’s trying to say.
Schumer revealed part of the first trailer for I Feel Pretty during an appearance on Ellen last week and later posted the full trailer on Twitter. As she explained to Ellen DeGeneres, her character in the movie, Renee, has low self-esteem, but after a spin class accident, her self-image is magically transformed — even though her looks haven’t changed at all.
“I start seeing myself as a supermodel,” Amy Schumer said on the show. “I look exactly the same, but in my mind, I am Gisele (Bündchen), I am one of the Jenner-Kardashians — gorgeous, and things start happening.” It’s a premise that seems to want to comment on the way women are unfairly judged by their appearance and made to feel unworthy if they don’t meet an impossible, male-driven standard.
But many online are pointing out that the way the movie appears to be framed is problematic.
For starters, Schumer essentially already embodies that “ideal” beauty standard: She’s white, blonde, straight, feminine, and thin. And the idea that it would take a brain injury for a woman who’s bigger than a size 2 to feel confident about herself — and the idea that a smaller-than-average-sized woman being confident is supposed to be funny — isn’t going over well with everyone.
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Comedian Sofie Hagen wrote an extensive Twitter thread on the topic, in which she takes issue with both the idea of Schumer being thought of as ugly and that her being confident looks like it’s supposed to be a punchline. “How about instead of her ‘hitting her head and damaging her brain’ in order to become so deluded that she’d think she was ACTUALLY pretty, she read about capitalism and [realized] that women’s low self-esteem is a patriarchal ploy and that she is worthy of self-love?” Hagen wrote in one tweet.
Others echoed similar frustrations with the trailer: false
Just read the plot for #IFeelPretty and I just vomited in my mouth.
1. It takes a head injury for someone to think their beautiful? And have confidence? Seriously??
2. Playing ‘pretty’/ ‘ugly’ girl card is revolting- AND destructive. Putting girls against girls. Fuck that shit
— Linz Unicorn Sminks (@this_sminks) February 8, 2018
As someone who looks considerably less attractive than @amyschumer in a bikini, has considerably less middle class privilege, & a chronic illness – what am I supposed to take from #Ifeelpretty – that I’m hideous to society and need brain damage before I can believe in myself? Ffs
— Beth Edwards (@bethedwardsuk) February 9, 2018
Sooo about the premise of Amy Schumer's new movie #IFeelPretty …
{A bloated/average sized Blonde hits her head & gains self esteem.
Everyone laughs because "ewww she's really gross & fat".
They grow to respect her BOLD confidence in existing as a size 6/8.}Yayy BodiPosi?!? pic.twitter.com/GHO12HFCCh
— ToraShae (@BlackMajiik) February 10, 2018
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My pitch for a movie better than #IFeelPretty:
A WOC discovers that she's pretty without hitting her head. Like, she genuinely realizes she's pretty without suffering mental trauma. And then she's just confident and her life is better because she decided on her own, her worth.
— Brynn 💕 (@JackHarbon) February 9, 2018
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This isn’t the first time Amy Schumer’s been called out for missing the mark.
People had problems with some of the messages in her past comedy specials and movies, as well. But some fans said the negative reaction is unfair, and they’re holding out hope that Schumer is able to do with this movie what she did with many of the insightful sketches she wrote for Inside Amy Schumer. Which is to say, deliver a sharp social commentary through subversive humor.
I find it unfortunate that you have so many well-formed opinions about a movie you haven't seen yet. Also, Amy is one of the few women shaping her career as one who can carry a movie without a male lead. Maybe we should let her tell some stories before dragging her. #IFeelPretty
— Emilia weeps for this country 🌈🏳️⚧️🌻🇺🇦🗽 (@awesomEmilia) February 9, 2018
I can tell this will be my new favorite feel good movie. Can you imagine if we ALL started thinking of ourselves as supermodels??? #IFeelPretty https://t.co/BnfgGn5vAx
— Chrissy Gikis (@chrissy_gikis) February 9, 2018
people are looking into this way too deep, it’s just saying that beauty is based on confidence rather than looks, it could have been done better but it’s not talking about white supremacy or enforcing a stereotype cause she’s blonde😂 ppl are so techie these days ffs #IFeelpretty
— Jessïca Crawford (@Jessicaorinaa) February 9, 2018
As a person really struggling to love her self as she is, this honestly couldn't have come at a better time. I like dealing with crappy stuff with humor, and the truth of the matter is, some of us DO need a BONK on the head to realize we are beautiful. @amyschumer #IFeelPretty
— ℂ𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕪✌️𝕋𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕠 (@CristyTango) February 10, 2018
Schumer hasn’t commented on the backlash. She did tell Katie Couric, when she recently appeared on her podcast, that she sees the movie as empowering for women at a time when they need to feel confident.
"[Feeling bad about yourself and the way you look] disables you, you want to hide, it doesn't let you live to your potential," Schumer said. "And that's what we want the most from women right now, you have so much potential, you can do anything, we need you to lead and they feel held back."
Moviegoers can decide how they feel about I Feel Pretty for themselves when the movie hits theaters in June.