The comedy Beauty and the Ugly is an easy film with a straightforward plot. The predictable development of events, the primitive play of actors, the grotesque images of the main characters - all this is madly naive and clearly devoid of common sense. The film "Beauty and the Ugly" cannot claim an alternative to watching even the series "Slave Izaura" (there at least it was not immediately possible to predict the ending, but here, knowing only one name and watching the film for 5 minutes, you can tell with accuracy how it will end) .
The audience’s reviews about him can be divided into two categories - negative and mega-negative. No wonder his director Tom Putnam received Golden Raspberry for him in 2009, and the star blonde Paris Hilton, who played the main role, was dubbed the worst actress of the decade.
Briefly about the plot
Nat Cooper, from school, in love with Christabel Abbott, the first beauty of the school, meets her years later. They are both free, and he wants to date her. Kristabel does not mind, but she has a condition: her friend June, too, must find a boyfriend, otherwise it will not work. Nat struggles to arrange her personal life, but the girl is so untidy and ugly that the guys shy away from her and refuse to meet her even for a fee. And here comes a brilliant idea to Net: you need to change the appearance of June - and then everything will turn out. Indeed, a supermodel turned out of an ugly and insecure ugly woman, who put her friend Christabel in her belt. The film Beauty and the Freak ends with Nat realizing that he really loves June, who has now become a real beauty.
Is it a comedy?
Many disagree with this definition of the genre, because there’s practically nothing to laugh at. But the sense of humor is different for everyone, and, apparently, that is why the director considered that, looking at the dirty sock that gets into Neta’s mouth during yoga classes, or the hairy legs in June’s scars, the audience would laugh. But probably there are some.
But who dared to play in this film, Beauty and the Ugly, not claiming to be a masterpiece? The actors and the roles that they got, in truth, correspond to each other. This is especially true for the main performer.
Paris Hilton as Christabel Abbot
No one seriously takes the socialite and heiress of the famous dynasty as an actress, although she has repeatedly tried desperately to prove the opposite. But, see, for the film "Beauty and the Ugly" the actors were selected on the principle of "who pays the money, he orders the music." Paris herself was also a producer. Quite frankly, none of this worked out, because the only thing she can do is to make a languid look and fold her lips beautifully. In a word, Paris played herself, not really straining. The main thing is that she shone, decorated like a Barbie doll, demonstrating where her model figure is needed and not needed.
The very image of Christabel is too far-fetched, because she appears too noble, they say, for the sake of female solidarity, she also refuses to build personal happiness. And in general, it turns out that Nat had the intelligence to take June to the stylist, while Christabel, who herself is a regular in beauty salons, for some reason does not. Without this, there would have been no film, but maybe the blonde beauty should have a ugly companion for greater contrast?
Beauty and the Ugly (actors): ugly June Figgs
She was played by Kristin Leikin. First, from large naturalistic plans of her nails, snot and sore oral cavity can be turned out, so you need to look carefully. Rare and gray hair, wrinkled earth-colored skin, terrible decayed teeth, a face strewn with acne and herpes, warts and similar abominations - how much effort did make-up artists have to make to disfigure a pretty girl!
This is the first thing that comes to mind after transforming her into a real beauty. But these metamorphoses are so unnatural: firstly, by some miracle, the curved hairy legs (obviously male) disappear and slender female legs appear, secondly, she somehow starts to walk confidently on her heels, and the posture is leveled, as if it has been all my life. But the most surprising: somewhere her stupid manners disappear, she becomes refined and educated.
June appears in the first half of the film not just as a naturally ugly girl, but as a flawed person who neglects the rules of hygiene, does not wash and does not wash clothes. Of course, we can assume that this is such a director’s idea: to exaggerate external ugliness in order to show how society neglects outcasts or people who are not like others in color or social status, but this would be an unexpectedly deep idea from the creators of such a plot. Everything is much simpler here: a demonstration of biological mutilations and untidiness is the cornerstone on which all the humor of the film is built, in other words, it should be ridiculous to look at the rotten nails that fall into the mouth.
Although I want to pay tribute to Christine Leikin herself , because in order to decide to show herself in this form and star in the film "Beauty and the Ugly", the actors had to show some courage, or something.
Joel Moore
He played the role of Nat Cooper. His acting can only be called mediocre, although for such a film it was an even more or less tolerable level. Nat - a loser, if we talk about his relationship with the girls (at the beginning of the film, another of them throws him), and about life's achievements. And then he suddenly dawns on the brilliant idea that if he finds his first love from elementary school, then she will not abandon him, and everything in his future life will be super. Here is such a naive American guy.
But at the end of the film Beauty and the Ugly, Joel Moore, aka Net Cooper, suddenly realizes for himself that all his life he loved not Kristabel, but her dirty friend. But for this reason, it is not clear, because she did not shine either with a sparkling mind or with some outstanding personality traits. Yes, and the realization of his true love comes to Net only after the transformation of the ugly duckling into Cinderella. It turns out, whatever one may say, and external data determine the fate of a person, whether someone will love him, or he will remain lonely. This, probably, is the main message of the film, filed against the will of the director. But ideally, the idea was this: you never know who your true love is, you need to be able to discern it even in someone who at first looks like a hero in a horror movie, and inside is the most beautiful and sweetest person (well, somehow).
It is interesting to note that after the film "Beauty and the Freak" Joel Moore starred in Avatar in one of the main roles.
Adam Kulbersh
He played a minor role as the guy Cole, whom Net persuaded for money to come to a double date with June and Christabel. He knows how to make grimaces, and a scene with a fingernail proved it. His presence in the film was supposed to add comedy to what was happening, because he was almost twisted by June ugliness and he showed it in every way.
Johann Urb
He got the role of a dentist who turned June into a princess. At first he looks so perfect, cute, noble. He promises to help the unfortunate girl for free. But what is the catch? It turns out that he had an insidious goal - to drag June into bed, but she gives him a turn from the gate. In short, his role is unnatural and ridiculous in itself.
"Beauty and the Freak": supporting actors
Greg Wilson played schoolmate Nat. He was the link between the past and present life of the unlucky boyfriend, because he knew where Christabel lives and how to get her heart.
Katherine Fiore got the role of the ex-girlfriend of Nat, who can not stand life with him and leaves him.
The minor actors of the film Beauty and the Ugly, Caleb Gass, Carly Collins and Alessandra Daniel played little Nat, Kristabel and June, respectively.
Of course, to watch or not watch this creation of director Tom Putnam, let everyone decide for himself. In any case, this is a good tutorial on how not to make films, so it can even be useful.