Pretty Woman (1990)

Pretty Woman (1990)

7/10

Starring

Richard Gere

Julia Roberts

Hector Elizondo

Jason Alexander

 

 

Directed by Garry Marshall

Pretty Woman is a romantic classic, and even though it’s the kind of fairy tale you’d expect from a Disney production, it’s not exactly realistic. We get a Disney-style fairy tale where the man rescues the woman from the harsh life on the streets, and she saves him in return from his own emotional struggles.

That said, Pretty Woman is one of those movies you’ll never forget seeing. It’s a classic rom-com, where the comedy hits the right notes, and the romance is so well-tuned it’ll have you going all mushy inside.

The plot revolves around a businessman, Edward (Richard Gere), who gets lost and ends up in a Red Light District. There, he meets a prostitute named Vivian (Julia Roberts), who charges him $20 to guide him to where he’s headed. Edward is struck by how Vivian carries herself, so he offers her money to be his pretend girlfriend for a week, to accompany him to various social events he needs to attend. He also gives her money to buy new clothes and look fashionable for the events.

As the week goes on, Edward falls for Vivian when he sees her all cleaned up, and a relationship begins to develop. However, they come from two very different worlds. But will Edward let that stop him? That’s what this movie explores.

With the way movies are written nowadays, with strong female heroines and messages about standing up for yourself, Pretty Woman might not age well in some of its scenes. But the romance and comedy still resonate. What makes this movie one of the top romantic films to watch, regardless of what critics say, is the acting from the leads. Julia Roberts and Richard Gere make a fantastic on-screen couple. Their portrayals of their characters will forever be etched in your mind when you watch this movie (if you haven’t already). It was this film that introduced me to Roberts.

Over the years, her numerous rom-coms from the ‘90s have become legendary films that I’ll always watch whenever I catch them on TV. Roberts won a Golden Globe for Pretty Woman, and as mentioned, she did some of her best rom-com work in the ‘90s. Two of my all-time favorites are My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997) and Notting Hill (1999).

The movie was directed by the late Garry Marshall (New Year’s Eve [2011]), who did a fantastic job with his interpretation of the story. Marshall also worked with Roberts on Valentine’s Day (2010) and Mother’s Day (2016).

Pretty Woman was a massive box office success worldwide and has been adapted into a musical. It also boasts an amazing soundtrack.