1047. Pretty Woman (1990)

Starring: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Jason Alexander

Director: Garry Marshall

Running Time: 119 mins

Pretty Woman is an American film about a rich businessman who unexpectedly gets drawn into a relationship with a Hollywood prostitute after asking him to spend the week with him to help close a big deal.

This is a pretty entertaining chick flick. It’s got decent comedy, good performances and a fun romance, and although it doesn’t really offer anything new or different, it’s not in any way an unpleasant or boring watch, just a bit clichéd.

Let’s start on the positive side of things, with the central performances by Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. Again, seeing as this follows a very generic Cinderella story plot line, their performances aren’t anything stunning or special, but they are at least convincing and enjoyable.

Both Gere and Roberts really do appear to be having fun in their respective roles, and that makes such a difference to making a more enjoyable romance story in comparison to someone just apathetically phoning it in.

It’s also easy to buy Gere in his role as a dashing multi-millionaire, and although it takes a little bit of getting used to seeing Julia Roberts as, initially, a lowly prostitute, she gets into her role very well, both retaining the brasher qualities of her lower-class character throughout whilst also showing this woman’s development.

What’s more is that the film, as a whole, is enjoyable to watch. There may be parts which drag on a little, especially when the drama is more the focus, but the largely upbeat vibe of it keeps it pleasant and easy-going, helped further by the good comedy throughout, which isn’t hilarious but still fun, and the poppy soundtrack.

Now, with regards to the plot in itself, it’s not particularly impressive. The film does admit itself that it is a typical Cinderella story/My Fair Lady like in the movies, but it doesn’t really take that idea far enough to be funny. As a result, this feels just as generic as all the romantic comedies you’ve ever seen, and it means there are no surprises for you throughout, making it a little underwhelming in the end.

Overall, I’ll give this a 6.9, because for all its cliché and stereotypical storytelling, this is still a fun, easy-going film that will definitely satisfy rom-com fans, and won’t be intolerable to haters of the genre either.