PRETTY WOMAN Reviews

Best of luck to the cast. I believe the reviews will be similar to Mean Girls; good cast with a very weak score (lyrics specially).

Barks plays a very chipper and cute prostitute. But the Chipper Cute Prostitute character is a tired, trite stereotype invented by old straight white men. We've moved past the minstrel show; why can't we do away with this insulting old chestnut?

Updated On: 8/16/18 at 01:07 PM

Did I miss the formal declaration of Barks' turn as a Starmaking Performance or something?

I think she'll get fine notices. But this is not Julia Roberts redux.

Updated On: 8/16/18 at 01:27 PM

darquegk, I agree. I think the 1986 film Working Girls was much more interesting than the two-dimensional Cinderella retread that is Pretty Woman (film or musical).

One significant thing, perhaps - Vivian is no "high-class escort;" she's a streetwalker. And on top of that, a streetwalker who is always perky, an expert on cars, a mistress of hand-to-hand combat, and able to inject scruples and integrity into a man devoid of both. The only thing more ridiculous is that so many people desperately embrace such a narrative. One way the writers make this so palatable is that they never ever ever show Vivian actually plying her trade - that would a) be a potential turn-off, and b) eliminate a (young) part of the potential audience.

Updated On: 8/16/18 at 01:57 PM

newintown said: "darquegk, Iagree. I think the 1986 filmWorking Girlswas much more interesting than the two-dimensional Cinderella retread that isPretty Woman(film or musical).

One significant thing, perhaps - Vivian is no "high-class escort;" she's a streetwalker. And on top of that, a streetwalker who is always perky, an expert on cars, a mistress of hand-to-hand combat, and able to inject scruples and integrity into a man devoid of both. The only thing more ridiculous is that so many people desperately embrace such a narrative. One way the writers make this so palatable is that they never ever ever show Vivian actually plying her trade - that would a) be a potential turn-off, and b) eliminate a (young) part of the potential audience."

so...she isn't allowed to have a positive personality and knowledge of other things just because she's a prostitute?

The character is the modern ur-example of a Hooker with a Heart of Gold, but, as SonofRobbieJ says, has the Manic Pixie Dream Girl thing down before it was really categorized as a trope.

She exists to help Edward be a better human. Does she change at all? Not really. And his love for her, not coincidentally, only grows once he uses his resources to make her appear more socially acceptable. I guess you could argue that's the arc she has- from streetwalker to a rich man's well-dressed girl. But then you're effectively equating human decency with being upper class.

She's a straight male's idea of a strong woman. She's smart and spunky and knows about cars, even! But she still exists only to better and complement the man.

Maybe if even a single woman were included in the creative team of the musical, they could've righted some of the source material's datedness.

Updated On: 8/16/18 at 03:47 PM

Maybe what people want is the movie translated to the stage - It is only musical theatre entertainment after all, not social commentary!

amNY is negative but praised Orfeh and said it was better than HOH and GTBBT (which it is, obviously.)

https://www.amny.com/entertainment/pretty-woman-review-1.20501172

Updated On: 8/16/18 at 08:22 PM

Bizarre the write-up is so negative but he still gives us 2.5/4 stars. Maybe just to give it an edge over GTTBT and HOH.

Kad said: "The character is the modern ur-example of a Hooker with a Heart of Gold, but, as SonofRobbieJ says, has the Manic Pixie Dream Girl thing down before it was really categorized as a trope.

She exists to help Edward be a better human. Does she change at all? Not really. And his love for her, not coincidentally, only grows once he uses his resources to make her appear more socially acceptable. I guess you could argue that's the arc she has- from streetwalker to a rich man's well-dressed girl. But then you're effectively equating human decency withbeing upper class.

She's a straight male's idea of a strong woman. She's smart and spunky and knows about cars, even! But she still exists only to better and complement the man.

Maybe if even a single woman were included in the creative team of the musical, they could've righted some of the source material's datedness.

I agree with all of this so, so much. I will say one very small thing to the movie's credit. The "hooker with a heart of gold" trope has been around for a LONG time - lots of literature and opera involve sympathetic prostitutes or "fallen women" (La Traviata, Crime and Punishment, Les Miserables) But Pretty Woman was one of the first that didn't require her to die at the end. That's not to say she's not still a manic pixie dream girl type, but at least being a sexual woman didn't mean she had to "die for her sins" or whatnot - she got to be a romcom lady instead.