Anatomy of a makeover movie

Have you ever wondered why you love makeover movies so much? We broke down the best moments that happen in almost every makeover movie for you: www.vox.com/201...
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[@StarlitSwamp]

My favorite makeover would have to be Sam Sparks in "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" (even though she wasn't exactly THE main character), because for once, the message was reversed and it ended up being infinitely more inspiring, in my opinion. The girl already had the pretty look, with perfect hair and nice manners, and she worked so hard on her image to fit the role she had been playing, but that wasn't who she really was, and succeeding at passing for normal didn't make her happy. I think it's awesome that in the end, she had enough confidence to stop being ashamed of her nerdy side and decided that she was more comfortable with her glasses and ponytail back, no matter how poorly her coworkers reacted to her finally embracing her true self. That's the kind of role model I was looking for and so rarely see in movies. The people who matter don't care about the mask you wear, but the value of the character beneath it.

[@scp--297]

Faunatik So true!!

[@berry.styles]

preach

[@noursaccount]

YAY

[@ananyapatil1685]

love that movie, love sam sparks and love your comment

[@unvergebeneid]

Yeah well, that "reveal" moment in Harry Potter really didn't fly. Emma Watson was way too cute right from the first movie. In the books it works because Hermione is described as not only having messy hair but also those really long front teeth until she uses magical cosmetic surgery.

[@Yous0147]

Lol, yeah it wasn't as pronounced in the movie because at that point Emma Watson had become the movie star crush of every kid on the globe. It wasn't a bad reveal and it did do what it was set out to do, but yeah...

[@juanorihuela4128]

The reveal moment it was just for Ron or for Harry I guess by the way he looked at her. But obviously the audience already know it (including me)

[@gjones9282]

420th like

[@da4127]

Yous0147 No, in the book its the first time she ever did her hair, wore makeup, used a dress, etc. In the movie it was just her using a dress, its still a change but not the big moment it was supposed to be.

[@aliarfana6808]

huh???didn't know that.

[@gemma3335]

I hate the whole 'glasses are ugly' thing. Like god dammit, I need too see and contacts are time consuming and expensive. Oh Hollywood 😒

[@shekinahglorysakala4029]

Bruh, I feel you

[@jessicavictoriacarrillo7254]

I heard that attitude towards glasses came from able-list beliefs about eyesight and fertility.

[@reemtri]

Glasses are so chic and stylish now anyway. :)

[@jessicavictoriacarrillo7254]

I also want to add that back in the old days, contact lenses were very uncomfortable.

[@mishkaparashar3170]

True

[@TheReaverOfDarkness]

How to design a makeover movie: 1.) get a hot girl 2.) dress her up in some stuff that doesn't really hide the fact that she's super pretty 3.) have a bunch of characters all pretend that they think she's ugly 4.) the big reveal: have them all pretend that she suddenly transformed even though everyone in the audience knew she was totally hot all along, and she doesn't really look any better now 5.) just for flavor, add bits where the skinny hot makeover girl is made fun of for being fat, then beat off later to the thought of all of the anorexia and cutting that's happening to teenage girls who watched your movie

[@maxrice6990]

anorexia? how about inspiration? not everyone trying to lose weight or look better is anorexic.

[@TheReaverOfDarkness]

It can be inspiring if done right. Unfortunately most of them fail at that because they suggest only a tiny few people can ever be beautiful--which is pretty much what hollywood believes is true.

[@artalcoolique3341]

@@maxrice6990 The girls aren't fat though, they're totally normal. So when they're called fat it's giving the wrong impression to what fat is.

[@aarishowton8037]

Art Alcoolique but also after they’re ‘hot’ they’re the same weight sooo...

[@Mhats]

aren't you describing one movie

[@MintyCanRead]

It always irritated me in the Princess Diaries movie that Mia had to get rid of her curly hair and glasses to be a 'Princess'. Why not just tame the curls and wear glasses from this century? You can have a makeover without changing everything about yourself.

[@bkzl]

Minty what "princess" looks like that though?

[@mikaelaarhusen6376]

SoshialButterfly Princesses who are born with curly hair and need glasses?

[@mowunmi7189]

The makeover artist was an eccentric dude - I guess thats how they justified that

[@mishkaparashar3170]

True

[@mishkaparashar3170]

@@bkzl a lot actually

[@SuperNerd528]

I like how the commentator gushed about how much he enjoys Clueless

[@kristinamartines6806]

its a good movie

[@KaylaNoelle1]

Clueless is pretty damn great though!

[@Johanna.EG.]

The 2009 BBC adaptation of Emma is pretty great, too.

[@Supernaturlisch]

A movie with hidden depths, for sure.

[@canuck21]

+SuperNerd528 Clueless is very well regarded actually.

[@florance333]

The moral of the makeover movies isn't that you are a worthwhile person the way you are, it's that you have to throw away every piece of individuality you have and sacrifice time, effort and money to go through the painful and humiliating process of adopting traits considered attractive by other people, so that in the end your looks will please your unattainable love interest (who doesn't care about you beyond looks?) and strangers (other kids in the school), whose opinion is somehow important enough for you to fundamentally change how you perceive yourself.

[@eugene188]

+florance333 Yea, I was up on the video until it got to the end where it said something about teenagers and the how maker over movies show it is ok, and they are worthwhile people...well if they were...why the makeover? I get that people can look vastly different depending on how they do their hair, or the clothes they wear or whatever. And it never hurts to be your best, look your best. But the tropes in these movies are all saying you have to change your crappy self to make everybody like you.

[@wewantraw]

I totally agree. One of my favorite movies is Breakfast Club, but I still can't get over the ending. The makeover in that just came out of nowhere, and there was literally no precedent for the relationship between those two characters in the film. I've tried to justify it many times, but I can't.

[@RedFlyingFox007]

True

[@hezaz4991]

agree

[@SH3player]

The thing is, you should always be improving yourself. A man lifts, eats clean, gets big, and takes care of himself actually makes others like you better. Everyone treats everyone differently depending on looks. I was a 215 pounds and like 5'3" in middle school. Not many others liked me even though I was a nice guy. I treated everyone right and I think only one girl liked me at the time. Other kids thought I was a joke because of my weight and women shamed me every chance they got. I am 5'10" and 157lbs with muscle and visible abs. Women give me looks, flirt with me, sleep with me, and treat me with so much respect(Nerdy, or confident ones, or ones that used to be stuck up, basically all of them) Men are intimidated by my presence(usually nerdy,average, and sometimes other lifters) You have to be poor and become wealthier to notice differences on how people treat others based on looks. Everyone does it. It is an instinctual behavior. We live in a sexual/dominance fighting world. It is how are species has survived so long and looks are a huge part of it. If you don't improve yourself overtime with looks(physical health+appearance, wear a nicer tshirt(not hard), and put no other effort into how you look your genes will probably die off or be weak at the very least. If you lift and work on your appearance you get a more attractive healthier girl. You both are then healthy in shape and produce the best possible offspring. If you don't take care of health or don't care about appearance to attract that more attractive girl you have to settle with someone who takes less care of themselves. You then produce weaker offspring (possibly with health deficiencies) and possibly die off. Looks is most important to women, but men need several things to attract a high value offspring for a *relationship* Men need: Looks(muscular or toned, low body fat%), Social Freedom, Power/fame and/or wealth * *for sex or relationship* Women need: Looks (look attractive psychically, clothes are a way to draw guys attention) *for sex* Looks,intelligence, and/or cunning/wit *for relationship* You have to be poor (fat,unhealthy, not desired, no sexual partners) to rich (muscular, desired, female sexual partners) to actually disagree with me. You cannot know unless you went through this progression. Good luck to all with the info.

[@eileenzh]

I absolutely hate the "take off glasses instantly beautiful" thing, like you can still be popular and attractive with glasses.

[@jennhoff03]

Yeah, that and the "take one bobby pin out of your hair and the whole thing falls perfectly coiffed around your face" thing. Updos need multiple bobby pins, and when you take your hair down it'll have weird kinks in it from where it's been sitting. True story.

[@RGld-jg8rs]

Hilarious moment in the Pink Panther, like boi people need to see

[@contra31]

I'm not sure I agree with the conclusion that the makeover movie is about showing that inside, you're a worthwhile person. If anything they seem to show that when being yourself doesn't work, become someone prettier.

[@nekonari22]

contra31 Exactly what I thought! But now that I think about it, Devil Wears Prada (yes, I watched it, and yes I enjoyed it) actually comes closest to this conclusion. It goes through all the makeovers and pretty dresses and all that and in the end, main character throws all that out and goes back to her own self.

[@zeechops401]

+Peter Park I really liked that movie because of this! I've always liked the aesthetic of the makeover movie, but never the message. In TDWP, Anne Hathaway's character became beautiful on the inside but also incredibly ugly in her soul. When she saw what she was becoming, she got out. She still maintained a lovely image at the end, but realized that her beauty wasn't all that mattered to her.

[@katherinerybski3925]

+contra31 I agree with you, overall. I do think it also could be interpreted that the person wasn't taking care of any part of their life (usually they're a big "disaster" in more ways than just physically). Because they start paying attention to their physical body, they also start paying attention to their emotional self. It's an "awakening"...they start trying new things, talking to their crush, standing up for themselves, and it's all prompted by a simple change in appearance. Does that make sense?

[@leetrumbull3222]

Exactly!

[@psmayaps]

it does kinda seem to miss the point of how these movies have affected girls/women. clueless isn't NEARLY as bad because the side character's makeover is really subtle and goes out of primary focus pretty quickly. but i remember growing up and to this day believing that I, with my acne, puffy hair, glasses, and braces (up until a couple years back), was ugly and just awaiting a complete makeover where I would stop being so worthless. why is that even a thing??

[@juanorihuela4128]

Something I don't understand in these movies is why the "crush" guy never notice how cute is the main character until she has a makeover, I mean is just the hair, glasses, and the clothes, her face still there. In "She's All That" there a perfect example of how blind the guy is, she is cute in both ways lol

[@TheReaverOfDarkness]

Because apparently women aren't interested in men who notice them before the makeover.

[@mimichu8727]

Juan Manuel irl my crush told me im cuter with glasses on screw you movies 😂🎬

[@mimichu8727]

TheReaverOfDarkness You might want to re-state that, somr women have brains and self respect, enough to see who the better guy is.

[@danielachamorro8783]

Watch “Dumplin” for a good example of how to do this right!

[@jamiemohan2049]

In reality guys do notice. Guys care far less about glasses, hairstyle or clothes style. So you are right.

[@froggy9710]

I just realized "don't judge me" challenge videos are basically shortened makeover movies.

[@njones7093]

Why is curly hair considered messy?

[@Elina_Strongbear]

N Jones I dunno. my boss always tells me that I look like I've been dragged through a bush and back even tho I would have spent ages trying to tame my curls that morning. I think people are just jealous.

[@2b-coeur]

Yeah, it's pretty, I think, although I've heard curly hair is really hard to comb.

[@mariakarolina7753]

+Erulasse Aranel It's not "hard to comb", it's impossible. It ends up looking frizzy and pretty much awful.

[@amandaamatoo6810]

Truthfully its to do with the subconscious racism we got taught centuries ago by rich bigots. To them men and women with pale skin and straight hair was the ultimate beauty and basically any African features were 'ugly'. It ties in with the whole 'Caucasian people are the superior race and Africans and the lowest' thing.

[@luzgracielavictoriahenao5386]

That's the story of my life, I am always told to brush my hair, or to fix it, which I do lol, so i started to translate "fix" or "brush"as "straighten your hair", because really, that is it, I once asked a guy who told me to brush my hair and what not, what exactly did he mean and what he said was , "well, you know, you should straighten your hair"

[@xXxChiefxXx]

Just a nitpicker here - At 1:17 the diagram says "Messy hair". I think you mean frizzy/curly. Her hair is not messy. It's actually styled with clips etc. Kind of inconsiderate to assume that curly or frizzy hair is messy. Not everyone's hair becomes shiny, silky and neat after brushing. For many people brushing actually makes it worse. But hey it's not like you are the first people to say that. Obviously the point you are making is that you need to have straight or at least smooth hair to be pretty in these movies and that is totally correct.

[@Uhhhhhhh541]

xXxChiefxXx It's not inconsiderate, it's just overreaction

[@HereIAm247]

As a curly girl, I can say that curly hair does tend to be messy. This doesn't mean it can't be beautiful, because when it works, it is stunning! But it is a lot harder to take care of than straight or styled hair, and a lot of people don't know how. As a result, it tends to be frizzy and look messy, even if you try to style it. Curly hair can be smooth and shiny, and very beautiful, but you need to define each curl, which is not only a lot of work, it also takes a while to get the hang of.

[@jennhoff03]

Actually, in that movie, it WAS messy. Do you remember when the stylist tried to brush through it his brush broke in half? It was frizzy and un-maneagable. There's a difference for sure.

[@scp--297]

Shannon Right! If I brush my curly hair, I look like a bird tried to live in my lion mane of hair.

[@danielachamorro8783]

YES THANK YOU

[@edwardjoel1970]

As someone who has glasses and whose s/o also has glasses, I've always been personally offended by the idea that glasses make you ugly in these movies.

[@aerowindwalker]

I think in a lot of these movies the girls look much cuter with glasses on.

[@neuralmute]

+Aero Windwalker *I

[@SalamanderMagic]

Ikr! I think most people look really cute with glasses

[@sheripfalzgraf1393]

+neuralmute Lmfao XD

[@davidaprogers]

I totally get this. And I've never found glasses unattractive but I've never been attracted to a girl with glasses. It's odd.

[@michellew5019]

I have had glasses since 1st grade, and never got contacts. The world needs more of these types of comments.

[@elio5896]

2:00 if there is an Anne Hathawill, there is definitely an Anne Hathaway.

[@SunyiSideUp]

You don't need the extra "an". "If Anne Hathawill, Anne Hathaway" is the joke.

[@elio5896]

+SunyiSideUp omg my bad 😂

[@sacrosanct23]

actually both are fine. the latter is more clever because "have a will/have a way" but the original expression is "if there's a will there's a way." less wit but defs still passable

[@SunyiSideUp]

sacrosanct23 It's more along the lines of "if Anne has a will, Anne has a way." In no way is it different from the saying except inserting a name. Like, you wouldn't say "If there's a John has a will, there's a John has a way." It's like saying Anne (the person) has a will, and therefore a way. English major, hi. (Well, English/theatre double major, but still.)

[@sacrosanct23]

+SunyiSideUp i agree. my point is that the important bit of the witticism is 'will/way' so it still scans well enough to work and be recognised for its meaning, communication of meaning being the arbiter final in the usage of all living languages.

[@plantlady5369]

I remember I had friends that actually did this. They're not my friends anymore. I avoid people who try to change me now, because they are so fucking demanding.

[@plantlady5369]

***** Thanks. I'm glad I made this realization in middle school. I honestly probably realized it because I hate change. I hate changing the way I look or what I normally do. I wasn't doing anything wrong and they wanted to change me just because I'm not very good with all that extra grooming.

[@youtopia2621]

I'd like to say someday. But I genuinely feel like there's no nice way to tell someone taht the way they treat you or what they expect from you is beyond your means and that's just not who you are. And my problem is that I'm nice and very considerate of it her people's feelings like that, especially if I call them close friends and people who hang out with me and give me presents, it's either that they're so extremely thick skinned they don't realize it; like they physically cannot empathize with me, Or that they're smart enough and they do realize it and they just like having that kind of power over me. It shouldn't be this complicated

[@Averdein]

Maybe you had the potential to look decent and they wanted to see you succeed

[@velvetluna5503]

now THAT is a makeover - you don't need toxic people

[@folklorelover13]

CLUELESS IS A CLASSIC. DUFF was also super under rated that was a such a smart movie disguised as regular dumb teen movie that didn't get credit for it's own intelligent self aware satire.

[@deaf-tomcat]

UGH, I hate the movie though... The book was/is amazing, but I didn't feel like it really translated into the movie...

[@caseyj5637]

I love the movie. :P

[@RougeMaire]

Yeah the movie butchered the book the whole point of the book wasn't stereotyping high school it was about embracing who are are and loving yourself through tough times

[@caseyj5637]

Máire Byrnes I guess you need to watch the movie again.

[@heathercalun4919]

I'mm surprised Duff turned out to be any good. I didn't want to see it when it came out because the advertising was horrendous.

[@julia.24]

I like Clueless because it showed how Tai's makeover made her worse. It made Cher feel bad and guilty for forcing Tai to be someone she wasn't, and after that realization, she stopped prodding Tai so much and Tai was much happier not having to meet those expectations. Cher had a "makeover", but it wasn't a change in dress, it was a positive change in attitude. It's almost the antithesis of the average makeover movie: rather than preach that a change in outside appearance will help people appreciate the inner you, it showed that even when you look pretty and everyone likes you, you can act nasty and may be in need of an attitude adjustment. Tai learned to be herself again rather than Cher's doll, and Cher learned to appreciate her friends for who they are rather than try and force them to fit her expectations.

[@impagain]

I just want a makeover story where the heroine just contours tf outta her face, cuz that's the real makeover magic

[@ChestersonJack]

Imp Again!~ reverse contour where it makes her face looks softer and less angular because she doesn’t conform to what beauty standards think are pretty

[@disneyprincessintraining2725]

No, don’t lump “my big fat Greek wedding” with this video! She did a makeover for herself. She got educated, got clothes SHE liked, not her friends, or her parents, and that’s why I love that movie. She took charge and changed herself because she wanted to make a better life for herself, which is so much better than any other makeover movie you see!!

[@DavidDagninoV]

so the message is: girls have to change everything about themselves to get the guy. Guys need a new haircut to get the girl.

[@rashideldoma]

3.17 "Becoming the kinds of girl she would be when she was a junior in college and had sort of figured her shit out." THIS is true makeover goals.

[@TanvirBhulcrap]

I feel like they kind of delude audiences somewhat. Most makeover movies focus on physical aesthetics during the "makeover" scene, which people don't have much control over in reality, as opposed to personality/character development which can be slowly worked on over the course of life. Usually the protagonist is already has a great quirky personality, its just that the other characters in the film don't find him/her attractive and so they're basically completely ignored.

[@blancavelasquez9859]

I wish it was that easy but when you have horrible acne it's hard

[@thecuriousnerd3396]

That makes the two of us

[@ritacorrea2968]

@@thecuriousnerd3396 three now

[@entergalacticc]

Rita Correa make that four

[@TheStraatjutter]

"Have you ever wondered why you love makeover movies so much? " No .... i don't like them even.

[@caseyj5637]

So you're here, because?

[@TheStraatjutter]

Casey J I like Vox

[@NinaNooneknows]

I can't answer for them, but I was expecting the video to explain how makeover movies work and why people make them. Instead I was disappointed to find out that these people support people changing themselves to please others, and giving birth to unrealistic expectations. Oh well.

[@TheStraatjutter]

Actually that was kind of what I expected when I read the title. Pretty good job speaking for me ;-)

[@mksabourinable]

I find it funny that glasses gotta go is still a trope in them. Because throughout my teens and adult years literally everyone thought my glasses made me look prettier. And I only started wearing them regularly >3yrs ago. So people who had never seen me in glasses would see me put them on and go "Oh wow you look so pretty with them!" or something to that effect. There was almost always an "oh wow" though. Same goes for my curly hair. I've gone through periods in my life (mostly my teens) where I would straighten it all the time because I thought curls were ugly, but honestly they are beautiful and most people think I look better with curly hair rather than straight.

[@coolkid-xc1yi]

I think it also depends what ki d of environment you grow up in. Like some people would say "oh you would look so pretty if you straightened your hair." Tbh, I've never had anyone make fun of me for wearing glasses and if they did they can go **** themselves. Jk Haha. I like wearing glasses. I have a hump on my nose and my glasses disguise it and honestly glasses can be life savers when you have or go somewhere and you don't want to get ready

[@Laura-oe2dl]

The concept of makeup movies fucked up, and comes down to the systematic sexism that encourages girls to change their appearance and your life will be happier...girls like seeing them because it gives them hope, under the false guise that they too can achieve satisfaction with their lives if they make physical amendments...ultimately, they get caught up in the detrimental spiral of constantly seeking ways to improve their appearance, rendering them hollow, and their perception of themselves is determined solely by how they look...we see this in everyday life with the instances of anorexia and addictions to plastic surgery

[@victoriahale5254]

Don't be foolish if your looks improve your life will too even in a minor way

[@SaintSC05]

Or maybe people just like to be attractive

[@NinaNooneknows]

+victoria hale Well, if your life goal is finding a person (or multiple) who wouldn't lay their eyes on your if you didn't look conventionally attractive, then maybe. And I do believe that at the very least, most people like to be attractive. But "skinny, feminine, no glasses, lots of make up, follows fashion etc." for girls and "fit, muscular, masculine, stylish etc." for guys aren't what everyone considers attractive. Many, in fact, feel uncomfortable trying to fit those stereotypes. And honestly, especially in the example they had where they said something like "nobody even realised she looked like (someone) until she took her glasses off", the girl was already very beautiful before the 'transformation'. She was very pretty after it too, of course. And this is only my opinion. But unless the makeover somehow truly gave her more confidence and/or self-love, it was pointless, maybe even bad for her. You live your life for yourself, not to be eye candy for the guys or girls or anyone else around you.

[@beekah992]

Being sexually attractive as possible is a huge biological motivator for people so I don't know what you're trying to say. Women don't want to be attractive? it doesn't have to be conventional but I think everyone wants to be loved and being attractive in some way helps grab the attention of people at the very least.

[@NinaNooneknows]

BiggieCheese I don't disagree with that, but some people want to keep their own style or just can't be bothered with following every last whim of fashion, if any of them. Making movies where unhappy girl becomes happy and finds love by changing herself just doesn't quite feel right. And looking attractive also makes the chance of people liking you just for your looks bigger. Besides, if we take the thumbnail girl as an example, she was already pretty af.

[@FalseDisposition]

Love how they didn't mention Grease, a major makeover movie, simply cuz the ending is complete crap and the morals in that are crap lol.

[@b4thewaves]

To be fair, he was about to become a jock for Sandy.

[@danielachamorro8783]

This made me think: Sandy’s already pretty. She changes her prettiness into something else for a guy, but she was always pretty and desirable.

[@jeromealday614]

I'm a musical guy but I really hate Grease. Idk why the musical community love it so much ugh

[@mariex8168]

I kind of hate how glasses are looked at as ugly. Ive got glasses, big round ones lol. I also find them attractive on others.

[@Theturtleowl]

I happen to really like my glasses and some people say that I look better with them

[@peachkey2]

Well usually in those movies, the person is wearing thick or bulky glasses.

[@Theturtleowl]

I know that struggle. My eyes are already damaged, so no surgery for me. And I feel like I really rock my 'nerd' glasses.

[@m.b.0310]

yesss i swear i was just talking about the exact same thing with some friends this morning: i think i look waaay better with my glasses on! they sort of enlarge my eyes and cheekbones

[@rattyeely]

Cloud With A Chance of Meatballs reversed the "glasses come off trope" by having the female lead put on glasses as her "makeover"

[@AlienZizi]

in Bob's burgers, there's a brief moment when the other characters want to give Tina that kind of a makeover, but then realize she looks weirder without glasses lmao I love it

[@robylopezvi]

Video:The *recent* movie “the duff” Me:what? That movie’s not- Me:wait... *realizes this video was made in 2015* Me:how tf

[@stephanierae1664]

10 times out of 10 the characters are already attractive before their makeover.

[@rickyd3987]

I like girls with glasses tho...

[@floralkiitens]

That's nice

[@indigohalf]

The message I got from these narratives was always "people would like you better if you didn't look so much like yourself."

[@BreannaBrenko]

Blindness means beauty?

[@ShiningCatProductions]

These also have some subtle racist undertones, as in the pre-makeover girl usually has curly hair while the post-makeover straightens it, reinforcing the idea that natural black hair can't be professional or attractive.

[@TickingClocks]

exactly! and jewish stereotypes too. especially with princess diaries, mia was a walking talking jewish girl stereotype looks wise before the makeover smh

[@matman000000]

I didn't know curly hair was a race.

[@SaintSC05]

#CurlyLivesMatter

[@caseyj5637]

So only Jewish people have curly hair lol okay

[@queenofthorns6746]

Not just black people. I'm Jewish and I have really curly hair. I remember that the makeover scene in Princess Diaries made me feel really bad when I was a kid because Mia's pre-makeover hair looked look mine.

[@Stuie299]

What, no mention of Not Another Teen Movie?

[@mikeavagianos9660]

Paint... On her overalls!

[@keirorin]

but... she wears glasses! ...and a ponytail!

[@user-og7qq5zy8p]

that was a parody though, they were making fun of the trope

[@thatquietkid]

i was waiting the entire video for them to bring it up b/c it's such a perfect satire of the trope

[@Alagboriel]

BEST COMMENT

[@scattysafari7742]

Kinda surprised you guys didn't mention Pygmalion or its modern retelling My Fair Lady. That work is more about outgrowing the mentor than being what the mentor/makeover fairy wants you to be.

[@ktw5574]

I always feel personally attacked when they take away glasses as if it's impossible to look good in them

[@sakura_rain4915]

am i the only one who has never seen a makeover movie, where the person getting a makeover was black?

[@jasmineangie4652]

sakura_rain Good point!

[@entergalacticc]

Bitter NLM it would still be nice to be presented more in the media

[@starilie]

What I take from the makeover is that they give a new-found confidence. After a new dress and hairstyle, you find an assurance that you can take on the world.

[@mimichu8727]

starilie That's a nice way ti look at it 😊

[@camijbasa]

Video: Messy Hair Me: yah... Video:glasses Me: Yah that’s me. Video:messy hair Me: THESE ARE THE DEFINITION OF ME.

[@spiralpython1989]

Strictly Ballroom is the BEST becoming self confident film ever. Could have just been another makeover movie; but it is so much more...

[@incharak1927]

Watching this in curly, glass wearing, nervous, artistic and quirky gaze

[@thesleepydot]

Vox _really_ knows how to make every topic interesting. Very nice.

[@helena5993]

the fact that all makeover movies use women as the protagonist really highlights the focus placed upon girl’s appearances and the value that is taken from them in comparison to males. also makes it even worse that the entire goal of the makeover is just to impress a guy and never anything to do with her personal self worth but only her presentation within conforming to a male idealistic beauty standard, and the fact that usually she gets the guy after the makeover brings the idea that boys will only like attractive girls because we are not truly valued for other characteristics home to young girls.

[@zammmerjammer]

Because being "popular" and "cool" is about *behaviour* and not purely, or even mostly, about looks.

[@attagirl3883]

+zammmerjammer lol no

[@JeanetteKatie]

I really liked this. This is one of those genres you don't want to admit that you like, and you guys, while staying true to yourselves, kind of made it okay.

[@jennhoff03]

Haha, so true! I love a good makeover story. Whether it's re-designing a kitchen or finding the right dress or turning from slutty and flaky to sensible and responsible so you can take care of your dead sister's children. Makeover movies are great. :)

[@gabyurquiza8653]

lmao,am I the only one who thinks they look better with glasses? I have those Hipster glasses and I have a big nose so they cover them and I have small eyes so they make them look better

[@thejordanconnellshow]

My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn in the lead role is the classic example of this, because her makeover is not only physical but also cultural, she becomes not only beautiful but classy.

[@perisdp]

Vox why don't you make a video about the greek referendum

[@Vox]

peris dp Ok! We just made a piece on the crisis! Here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i320mnaEZb6Bo9k

[@perisdp]

Thanks Vox

[@lanklonk6990]

this conversation is so pure

[@clarainggrid9192]

lol ok

[@ChickenGeorgeClooney]

Greece is giving itself a makeover.

[@ankitanandy6076]

I would love to see a movie where the protagonist rejects her makeover and returns to the glasses and messy hair look, accepting who she is.

[@anipanini2467]

I have glasses Oh no I’ll never get married

[@sabberi]

2:48 Her? Really?

[@user-rr6uy7re9o]

What do you mean?

[@sabberi]

I don't understand the question and I won't respond to it.

[@chels1816]

+Pythonesque who? her?

[@slikeschocolate]

yeahhhh but the duff isnt necessarily ugly, just not as pretty as the other members of the friend group,,,,

[@seedyours9979]

Mayonegg

[@mile5842]

teenagers constantly want to be told that they are okay the way they are bro that hits home

[@frudlemax]

I used to see that DUFF movie trailer everywhere on Pandora, and I was really confused because...the actress isn't fat??? Like, at all???!!! She's pretty much a healthy weight. Not too skinny. Not too fat. I mean, is 140 fat now? Are we all supposed to be twigs? I'm so confused.

[@charmedgirl90]

+frudlemax Its basically an exaggeration. A DUFF is not necessarily fat but may be bigger than their friends OR may not dress to flaunt their figure like their friends.

[@gregmiller9710]

superman/clark kent with glasses & tie acting nerdy

[@LadyChicSoSweet]

+Greg Miller well if you think about it since clark kent is the alter ego(I mean superman was born himself) wouldn't it be a make under?

[@gregmiller9710]

LadyChicSoSweet not very much of one...

[@LadyChicSoSweet]

Greg Miller True

[@melaniemota8683]

Sue me, I love make-over movies :D ^_^ My favorite one is The Devil Wear Prada, for the very reason that VOX brings up: in the end, Charlie embraced her true genuine self without an outer façade.

[@jamilabrownie]

Lol where did Charlie come from

[@angep4197]

“Teenagers constantly want to hear that they’re ok the way they are” Wow ok I feel attacked...

[@danispeirs1292]

OMG!!!! The duff is like my favourite movie EVER!!!!!

[@amylouise9853]

Now voyager is one of my favourite films ever.

[@cakecrumb095]

I don't like makeover movies, or any story in that vein, because of the reason they gave at the end. I actually love the idea that any one person has the ability to improve themselves to a point where they are someone worthy of respect. I think that's really powerful.

[@adellek6464]

Now I feel bad that I have glasses

[@ichigopockychan]

OctopusHedgehog yes, agreed. One of my friends even said that I looked better with glasses than with no glasses.

[@lucad6649]

I was told every year I needed a makeover and it really messed with my self esteem

[@Kay-se3yv]

don't know about you, but I'd like to see a makeover where the main character makes their original glasses work

[@akankshadash7129]

Makeovers DESTROY INDIVIDUALITY. I mean come on people, why are women always forced to people please, its not 1950s anymore. *Instead of makeover movies(&TV shows)why can't we create movies which celebrates a woman's individuality like Annie Hall or Freaks & Geeks where the girl stayed true to herself and her sartorial choices and still got the guy who loved her unconditionally.*

[@lockinn-8612]

I personally think she looked better in glasses 👀🤷🏽‍♂️

[@pandasenpai671]

Well... I'm farsighted... The last time I took off my glasses, babies cried.

[@whatinthehalibut]

For anyone who needs comfort, I happen to wear glasses, have curly hair, be shy/introverted, and dress down a lot, but that's when I seem to get hit on the most lol. I don't particularly enjoy getting hit on, but, ultimately, if someone thinks your features are attractive, they won't care how you're dressed!

[@Ana-ib1tv]

So you're saying my life is a movie before the makeover....?

[@lucyhannah1227]

ever since i've heard the phrase "guys don't make passes as girls who wear glasses" i've thanked the heavens I've been blessed with poor eyesight

[@r0bw00d]

"Look at her! She's got glasses and a ponytail! There's even paint splattered all over her overalls--what's up with that?!"

[@uyenst]

"Becoming the kinds of girl she would be when she was a junior in college and had sort of figured her shit out." This was what happened to me. Too many people here be like "It's sacrificing individuality to conform to the norms. It's sad, it's tragic. It's giving up your self." I thought so, too, but now I realized you are just imprisoning yourself thinking like that - assigning your personality to your appearance. If we dismiss the belief that hot chicks are somehow better because they're hot, we must also denounce the notion that we plain janes are somehow better people because we chose not to improve our looks. It's just appearance people, it can change and we should encourage experimenting if only for fun and not dampen it with words like "vain" and "shallow"(I know it did cause my resistance). Takes time & efforts to be stunning, sure, but okay looking is easy. Consider this: half of the way to being pretty are health and hygiene anyway. Drink enough water, eat well and your skin will improve, your lips less chapped and dull. Exercise so you look fit, I'm not saying thin, I say fit. Clean well and you smell nice, some body mist uplifts your own mood. Choose clothes that fit, you feel comfortable first and look flattering second. Good posture is good for bones. Of course, you don't have time for clownish make-up, but look at tinted lip balm as a cheap, quick and clever trick to exploit evolutionary psychology for instant fresher look and feel... These simple steps alone greatly improve (20% of efforts give 80% results) your appeal that you should do anyway for your body's sake.

[@itsgbi]

she's all that is one of my favorite movies, I wish they'd put it back on netflix

[@idodoodle]

Duff is a really underrated movie. I thought it’d be so dumb but the leads are kinda adorable and you end up really rooting for them by the end:)

[@jinxieunlucky]

Clueless is an amazing movie and I think every teen girl should see it. Cher spends so much time obsessing over others and finally realizes at the end that *she's* the clueless one, and that people don't need to be anything other than who they are.

[@E3kiel]

No mention of Mean Girls? that was the most iconic makeover film of my day, hands down

[@SM-qe4wd]

Great video! See, this is the title and type of videos Vox makes well regularly.

[@panicatthehippo3660]

I always hated makeover films because I don't have glasses, and I got my braces off years ago. I'm just ugly lol

[@EA-eq8ej]

Bruh, it's so toxic that the media has been telling basically children and people, for their whole lives, that if they want to deal with their problems or "to be happy," that they need a makeover.

[@zoegraziella5431]

I love now voyager. It was one of my favorite movies growing up

[@WarlikeWifee]

You know what? I AM a worthwhile person. Thanks Vox!

[@deadoralev]

the trope doesnt work when the girl is already pretty and cute like hermione in harry potter, but miss congeniality and princess diary really works

[@BeeWhistler]

The best riff on this trope I can remember was in That Touch of Mink. It was the usual silly rom-com of the day but it impaled the cliche in one scene. The third party loser love interest was sulking in his office, having lost out on getting the girl. His secretary walks in to take a memo and he pauses and tells her to take her hair out if its bun. She does and it kinda lays there in a lifeless clump the way hair does when it's been bundled up for a while. Then he tells her to take off her glasses, which she does and stands there, hair dead on her shoulders, squinting at him as hard as she can because she NEEDS the freaking glasses. He just stares at her a moment and says, "Funny, that always works in the movies..."

[@juanjuri6127]

Most "true beauty lies within" movies are such bullshit. The message is basically "you should aspire to look hot, and i guess it's nice if somebody loves you for who you are or whatever". The characters never go back to looking the way they did, they just go back to their old friends (but always with the new love interest, who surprise, is also hot). The message is the absolute polar opposite of "you're fine as you are", it encourages the viewer to think about changing their appearance, no matter what contrived plot twist is added in the middle of the story. And you know what? That'd be FINE. Makeovers are fun! But they just HAVE to sell it in such a dishonest backhanded way.Outside of "Shallow Hal" I really can't think of a single movie that actually takes the "inside beauty" message to the deep end instead of just tacking it as an afterthought to a makeover / transformation scene.

[@Degotelo]

Vox, you know how to make videos!

[@millsmils]

No matter if you are considered generally attractive or not I think the whole point is to take care of self both inside and out. It's important to feel better which makes you look better.

[@Gleamiarts]

When I was little, I used to love makeover films as they reminded me of dress-up games.

[@tommo9176]

this is seriously why I love vox

[@shekinahglorysakala4029]

These movies gave insecurities as a kid because I wore glasses and was basically told that I wouldn't popular or cool untill I stopped wearing, it's kinda one of the reasons why I got contact lenses at 18, but now I'm fine, but as a child already being teased for being the 1st kid in your school to wear glasses and seeing such makeovers, messes you up big time.

[@bitj3457]

physical appearance is part of confidence but confidence is way more than that.

[@tttITA10]

I have this friend form prep. school who would eventually get a makeover form her sisterhood companions... I was convinced it worked nice when a handsome friend of ours was to scream for all the squad to listen "holly cow, that's Herminia there!" while she crossed the streets to come talk to us.

[@moonbunny1812]

Get a guy who notices you even when you were invisible

[@keyqchan]

I feel prettier and younger wearing my glasses than without.

[@layoverbear]

this makes me feel so bad for wearing glasses...i hate it.

[@shaharipudding9453]

Man, I take off my glasses and I look the same. It’s everyone else that looks different!

[@myheartwillstopinjoy8142]

Meanwhile, if I take down my glasses I look like an egg

[@HereIAm247]

What I like about makeover movies is, they show very well how much grooming and style can change the impression you give people. For example Mia's makeover. Yes, she was already beautiful beforehand. And while she had a lot of charm that way, her makeover gave her a more polished/professional look. In real life, you would usually find a happy medium. I LOVE her curly hair, but there are ways to style and cut it, so it frames her face better, and make people notice her face before her hair. A little eyebrow and nail grooming, better posture, and a more open body language and behaviour, and people would already see her in a very different way. And that, to me at least, is empowering. No, you will not turn into a goddess if you are not. But there a lots of things you can improve on, that will make a drastic difference. Which means it is within your power to improve things (not saying it is easy, lol!)

[@heathercalun4919]

I'd like to see a flipped 2010's-2020's version of this where the popular girl realizes that she's falling out of social prominence because the nerds, artists and goths are taking over, and she has to put on glasses and learn to play D&D. Big reveal at Comic Con. I'm not really sure how the story would be resolved, but something about how popularity is subjective and really the only constant is confidence. Also the makeover fairy goes through an arc of learning that historically marginalized social movements should be careful to not become the purveyors of the elitist mindset that lead to the marginalization in the first place.