It seems to be in more recent years that Pretty Woman has been labeled as a film that has "not aged well." Who would've thought that such a loveable, lighthearted rom-com would end up being so controversial?
I really enjoy Pretty Woman, you might consider it to be a guilty pleasure of mine. It's a movie where every time I rewatch it, I can't help but be charmed by it. How can you not be? I mean Julia Roberts in her prime, lord have mercy, what a gorgeous woman, but superficialities aside, she gives a wonderful performance in this movie. The chemistry she shares with Richard Gere feels so genuine and heartfelt that I can't help but smile the whole time I see them on screen together.
I don't think Pretty Woman gets enough credit when it comes to how well-written the screenplay is. An example of this is when Julia Roberts's character has the rule of never kissing on the mouth. In her profession, if you kiss a client on the mouth, you risk the possibility of developing genuine feelings for them and that is not ideal for a prostitute. So throughout the movie, both Gere and Roberts are shown being physically intimate but they never kiss. Instead, the movie takes its time to build up the romance between the two characters. It's not until about an hour and thirty minutes into the movie do we get the first kiss, and because of the film's build-up, when we do get to that first kiss, the impact it makes is just sensational. It's truly one of the most romantic moments I've ever seen in a movie.
One of the many criticisms that people give Pretty Woman is that the premise is too unrealistic. Well, whoever said Pretty Woman was trying to be realistic? It's essentially a modern-day fairy tale and if you go into this movie with that in mind you should be able to suspend your disbelief. The premise itself doesn't need to be realistic but the characters and the romance they share do, and that's where Pretty Woman excels.
Another criticism is that this movie supposedly glorifies prostitution. Another critique that I just find to be absurd. Would any of these people say that Oceans Eleven glorifies professional heists? Or that Batman glorifies vigilantism, or would they simply say that those films are just entertaining popcorn movies? I don't understand why Pretty Woman has to be held to such a ridiculous standard when at the end of the day it's just a fun and entertaining escapist film.
There are two things that a romantic comedy has to have in order for it to work. And it's right there in the title. It has to be romantic and it has to be funny. Now granted this movie is not exactly laugh-out-loud funny but it does have enough funny moments in it to put a smile on your face. Where this movie really exceeds is with its romance. The premise may not be realistic but the chemistry between Gere and Roberts very much is and that's what makes Pretty Woman such a delightful and feel-good viewing experience.
