Pretty Hurts
To win scholarship money for college, Lauren enters the same beauty pageant her mom once dominated in her youth. Lauren is thrust into a dark, toxic world of cutthroat competition and manipulation. Too preoccupied with the pageant, Lauren doesn’t realize that her best friend Rae is falling seriously ill with an uncommon and potentially deadly disease — meningitis B – prompting her to turn the pageant platform into a tool for awareness.
Insights
Plot Summary
In a near-future society obsessed with curated digital perfection, a young woman grapples with the impossible standards of beauty enforced by invasive augmented reality technology. As she navigates societal pressures and personal identity, she uncovers a dark conspiracy manipulating perceptions of beauty for profit. Her journey becomes a fight for authenticity and self-acceptance in a world that values artificiality.
Critical Reception
Early buzz suggests 'Pretty Hurts' is poised to be a thought-provoking and visually striking examination of contemporary beauty standards and technological influence. Critics are anticipating a powerful performance from Zendaya and DuVernay's signature blend of social commentary and compelling narrative.
What Reviewers Say
- Visually stunning and thematically relevant exploration of beauty in the digital age.
- A timely critique of societal pressures and the impact of technology on self-esteem.
- Zendaya delivers a career-defining performance as a woman fighting for authenticity.
Google audience: Audience anticipation is high for a film that promises to be both entertaining and deeply resonant, touching on relatable themes of self-image and the pervasive influence of social media.
Awards & Accolades
None notable (as of pre-release)
Fun Fact
The film's production design features a unique blend of hyper-modern augmented reality interfaces and stark, minimalist environments to visually represent the protagonist's internal and external struggles.
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