Britneylsmall
Was the goal here to present a bunch of awful people, with no redeeming qualities, and have them have a near-death experience to humanize them? Was the goal to show how "ugly" all these "friends" are and have no one realize the error of their ways? Or was just a swing and a miss on behalf of the studio? In any case, I kept watching hoping someone would be a good person and no one ever was. They all sucked, they shouldn't be friends and all the interpersonal relationships were based on self-interest. How they got all these amazing actors to take part in beyond me.
JeffAHayes
I just finished watching this as a rental (It also was available only on DVD, not even Blu-Ray, which is rare these days, even for a movie that went straight to disk, but then it WAS made in 2008).While I agree with a few of the negative comments made by some who didn't like the film, I also agree with all of the positive comments by those who did, as well. I thought it was a fair amount of fun, if not "laugh-out-loud" funny, and I've always enjoyed Missi Pyle.I think the fact that this was made BEFORE Melissa McCarthy became a big star and BEFORE Octavia won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for "The Help," certainly DIDN'T help make it a more marketable movie for theaters, as all I can find in the way of theater showings is a bunch of film festivals and ONE "limited release" in September 2009, and it doesn't even say WHERE, plus one brief showing in Palm Springs.William Sanderson, of course, has been around, like, FOREVER (my favorite role for him -- probably his most memorable -- was as the puppet maker in "Blade Runner"). But as a character actor, most folks don't know his name.I think this is good enough that were it released AGAIN during a slow period of the movie year (like the fall or winter), it could probably have a decent showing -- especially now that Melissa and Octavia are stars. Jeff
SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain
Pretty Ugly People is pretty unremarkable. The set-up and general tone of the movie would suggest a quirky independent romp. It may aim for this title, but it's mostly bland and patronizing. A big lass loses weight and arranges a trip for some friends. They all learn valuable lessons and "discover" themselves. These characters aren't horrible enough for any grand changes, nor or they nice enough to actually like. The protagonist is the biggest bitch of all, allowing her friends to believe she is dying. It's a horrible tactic that only the best writing could salvage a heart from. Unfortunately, such talented scripting is absent here.
BlueEyesCA
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.