ONTD Original: Fifteen Movie Makeovers
Ah, yes. The classic but problematic “makeover” trope you’ll find in several films. Sometimes lighthearted and fun but a lot of other times not so much. Here are 15 movie makeovers we might remember in recent and older films.
Feel free to share others not included on this list in the comments.
How do you feel about “makeovers” in films?
Click to viewMiss Congeniality (2000)
F.B.I. Agent Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) goes undercover in the Miss United States beauty pageant to prevent a group from bombing the event. A styling team gives her a makeover to better fit in with the rest of the beauty pageant contestants.
She’s All That (1999)
Popular school jock Zach Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr.) agrees to a bet. He has six weeks to gain the trust of nerdy outcast Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook) and help her to become the school’s next prom queen.
Honorable Mention:
[Not Another Teen Movie (2001)]
A lot of “She’s All That” was parodied in 2001’s “Not Another Teen Movie” starring Chyler Leigh and Chris Evans.
The Princess Diaries (2001)
A teenage Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) learns that she’s actually a princess. As the heir to the crown of Genovia, her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), helps Mia by giving her “princess lessons” and with a stylist helps improve her appearance.
Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
Cal Weaver’s life changes dramatically when he learns that his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) has been unfaithful and asks for a divorce. Over 40 and now single, Cal struggles in the dating scene. Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling) helps him by giving him a new look and teaches him how to hit on women.
My Fair Lady (1964)
Phonetics professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) is confident in his abilities that he takes it upon himself to transform a working-class girl with a Cockney accent, Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn), into someone who can pass for a cultured member of high society.
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Dummies Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) stumble across a suitcase full of money left behind by Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly). The duo decide to go to Aspen to return it, unaware that the money is for a ransom. They learn that Mary and her family are hosting a gala and use that money to go suit shopping and give themselves a makeover for the event.
The Duff (2015)
Bianca (Mae Whitman) learns that her classmates refer to her as the DUFF (designated ugly fat friend). Desperate to change her social standing and go on a date with her crush Toby, she asks her neighbor and former childhood friend Wesley (Robbie Amell) to help her change.
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Five high school students face a Saturday detention together: John (Judd Nelson), Claire (Molly Ringwald), Allison (Ally Sheedy), Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) and Andrew (Emilio Estevez). In one scene, Claire gives Allison a makeover which catches Andrew’s attention.
The House Bunny (2008)
Shelley Darlingson (Anna Faris) is one of Hugh Hefner’s house bunnies. When she turns 27, she is made to believe that she is too old to be a Playboy Bunny and is kicked out of the house. She finds a sorority, Zeta Alpha Zeta, with socially awkward girls and becomes their “house mother” and teaches them how to attract more pledges and gain attention from the boys on campus.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Andy (Anne Hathaway) is a recent college graduate with hopes to become a serious journalist and writer. She lands a job at Runway magazine as one of two assistants to Runway editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). Andy struggles during her first few days, being heavily criticized by Miranda for her appearance. She then complains to Nigel (Stanley Tucci) where she then asks for his help and he reluctantly provides her with a new wardrobe.
[Video]
Clueless (1995)
Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) is a popular Beverly Hills high school girl. After setting up two of her teachers, she decides to give a new transfer student Tai (Brittany Murphy) a makeover. When Tai suddenly becomes more popular than Cher, she soon realizes how misguided she was and that she has a crush on her step-brother Josh (Paul Rudd).
[Video]
Easy A (2010)
Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone) lies to her best friend Rhiannon (Aly Michalka) about losing her virginity. The very conservative and Christian student Marianne Bryant (Amanda Bynes) overhears the conversation in the bathroom and spreads it all over school. Frustrated by the untrue rumors circulating her, she decides to lean into it and begins wearing more provocative clothing and stitches a red “A” on her new wardrobe.
[Video]
Mean Girls (2004)
When a home schooled Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) moves from Africa to the States, she attends a public high school for the first time in her life. She makes two friends in class, Janis Ian and Damian Leigh, who convince her to join the “Plastics” for lunch. Regina George (Rachel McAdams), Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert) and Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried) all give Cady a makeover and the following day they all walk down the hallway at school before Cady accidentally walks head-first into a trash can.
[Video]
Just Go With It (2011)
Danny Maccabee (Adam Sandler) pretends to be married so he can enjoy dating with no strings attached. When he meets Palmer (Brooklyn Decker), she’s reluctant to get involved with a married man. Instead of admitting to her he was never married, he asks his assistant Katherine (Jennifer Aniston) to pose as his soon-to-be-ex-wife. To better play the part, he takes her shopping and to a salon for her new and “improved” look.
[Video]
Pretty Woman (1991)
Edward (Richard Gere) meets Vivian (Julia Roberts), who is a sex worker. He offers to pay Vivian for a week to accompany him to business dinners and buys her a new wardrobe that’s more refined and tasteful.
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