Pretty Woman
1990
Garry Marshall
Is Richard Gere considered a good actor? I'm seriously asking. This is only the second film I've seen him in, and the first was Chicago, which me and Pam watched on our second date, just to give you an idea about how long it's been. True, we are probably leading with this question as opposed to "so how about those sexual politics?" because I'm trying to zag when you thought I'd zig, but still, still, the question is an important one. Is Richard Gere a bad actor, or was he playing a difficult role (i.e. a character that doesn't really emote all that well)?
My thing with his flat performance is this. If the character of Edward Lewis really was supposed to be "shy" and, I don't know, "traumatized by his abusive father" or whatever, then you'd think that he would gradually come out of his shell throughout the film. Then the "the princess saved him right back" line at the end would've landed properly, because we would've seen that transition play out. But I didn't get any of that from this performance. He's withdrawn, he tries to white knight the independent-to-a-fault Vivian Ward, is called on his shit, and then, at the last minute, performs the requisite Big Romantic Gesture. Until those final moments on the fire escape, Gere plays Edward as removed, soft-spoken, and kinda boring. If I'm assuming that Edward is "changing" throughout the story, then the actor needs to show that change, and if he doesn't, then it would be my responsibility to say that that actor is a bad actor, right?
Julia Roberts, though: perfect as always, no notes.
My thing with his flat performance is this. If the character of Edward Lewis really was supposed to be "shy" and, I don't know, "traumatized by his abusive father" or whatever, then you'd think that he would gradually come out of his shell throughout the film. Then the "the princess saved him right back" line at the end would've landed properly, because we would've seen that transition play out. But I didn't get any of that from this performance. He's withdrawn, he tries to white knight the independent-to-a-fault Vivian Ward, is called on his shit, and then, at the last minute, performs the requisite Big Romantic Gesture. Until those final moments on the fire escape, Gere plays Edward as removed, soft-spoken, and kinda boring. If I'm assuming that Edward is "changing" throughout the story, then the actor needs to show that change, and if he doesn't, then it would be my responsibility to say that that actor is a bad actor, right?
Julia Roberts, though: perfect as always, no notes.
Well, no negative notes, anyway. Unless I'm forgetting something, this is the fourth Roberts film we've covered in this column, and it's clear to me that she is just so good at playing strong, confident women. Like in Mystic Pizza, when she took on the role as the teen who had dreams to get away, and made moves to make it happen. Or in Ocean's Eleven, when she was able to stand tall next to a stacked cast of males and occasionally overshadow them. And in Erin Brockovich, that was kinda the whole point, this woman with an outsized personality uses her powers for good.
Here, she plays a character who would, if society had its way, be beaten down and out before we even meet her. In the face of tremendous pressure to play by "the rules," Vivian carves her own path, and earns the respect that it's clear she deserves. She's working against the stigma, right? The fancy clothing store ladies dismiss her, George Costanza sexually assaults her, even Edward has trouble envisioning a life with her, simply because she is a prostitute, and the general consensus in an uncaring world is that prostitutes are "lesser than."
Here, she plays a character who would, if society had its way, be beaten down and out before we even meet her. In the face of tremendous pressure to play by "the rules," Vivian carves her own path, and earns the respect that it's clear she deserves. She's working against the stigma, right? The fancy clothing store ladies dismiss her, George Costanza sexually assaults her, even Edward has trouble envisioning a life with her, simply because she is a prostitute, and the general consensus in an uncaring world is that prostitutes are "lesser than."
In that regard, I think that the film Pretty Woman does a decent job at building the case for decency and humanity toward those who take up this profession. It takes a few half-measures, but I appreciate the overall message, that everyone, no matter who you are or what you do or how you live your life, is worthy of love and support and affection. If there was one aspect to this that rubbed me the wrong way (in a forgivable, this-film-is-three-decades-old sort of way), it's that there seemed to be a delineation between hookers who are "clean" and hookers who "use drugs." Maybe there's a subtext that prostitutes are only worthy of love if they don't use drugs and look as beautiful as an A-list movie star. (In other words, let's not be a McGruff in this situation, okay?)
But like we saw in Philadelphia, progress is measured in baby steps, and despite my misgivings, I'm still appreciative of the overall message. Pam was quick to point out that Pretty Woman shares a thematic connection to My Fair Lady, and though I liked Pretty Woman A LOT better, I do like thinking of it as a spiritual successor to My Fair Lady, because that means they are on the same path of progress. Pretty Woman did a much better job of considering the female lead character's needs as a human being. Maybe the path moves forward and looks like something even better next time around. Maybe the next film on the path toward progress will feature as the lead a BIPOC trans woman, for instance (or maybe that film already exists—Tangerine felt close to being a successor, even technically without the rich male suitor character).
But like we saw in Philadelphia, progress is measured in baby steps, and despite my misgivings, I'm still appreciative of the overall message. Pam was quick to point out that Pretty Woman shares a thematic connection to My Fair Lady, and though I liked Pretty Woman A LOT better, I do like thinking of it as a spiritual successor to My Fair Lady, because that means they are on the same path of progress. Pretty Woman did a much better job of considering the female lead character's needs as a human being. Maybe the path moves forward and looks like something even better next time around. Maybe the next film on the path toward progress will feature as the lead a BIPOC trans woman, for instance (or maybe that film already exists—Tangerine felt close to being a successor, even technically without the rich male suitor character).
Maybe that's a stretch. This is a Garry Marshall film, after all. We're not here to discuss protecting the rights of sex workers, we're here for the GOOD VIBES and the ROMANCE. We can zig and zag all you want, but it all comes back to that. Oh, and also the music. "Oh, Pretty Woman" is one of the better songs that a rom-com has been named after, and Go West's "King of Wishful Thinking" hits my soft spot for corny '80s music (even though it was released in the first months of the '90s). But yeah, I guess that's it. Good movie. Not my best work, blogging-wise, but these things kinda write themselves at this point.
GRADE: 3.5 pukes out of 5
NEXT TIME: I'm told Primer is a cult classic, and I'm gonna try to have a special guest star on here to talk about it.
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