PRETTY WOMAN Reviews

[LimelightMike]

[Marlothom]

Best of luck to the cast.  I believe the reviews will be similar to Mean Girls; good cast with a very weak score (lyrics specially).  

[BroadwayConcierge]

These reviews are going to be as middle-of-the-road as they come. I am looking forward to praise for Samantha Barks, though. She is an utter joy to watch on that stage.

[CT2NYC]

I liked Samantha Barks, but I wasn't as taken with her as some. Yes, she has a beautiful singing voice, but I saw a Julia Roberts impersonation with a lot of the dialogue, and one of the lines she tried to make her own, "BIG mistake," fell flat, in my opinion.

[Marlothom]

"and one of the lines she tried to make her own, "BIG mistake," fell flat, in my opinion." 

Frankly, this line will likely always fall flat because it is so oddly placed in the show, inside the Act 1 closer, she says the line, leaves the store and carries on with the song.   

[newintown]

Barks plays a very chipper and cute prostitute. But the Chipper Cute Prostitute character is a tired, trite stereotype invented by old straight white men. We've moved past the minstrel show; why can't we do away with this insulting old chestnut?

[Jessetenny]

BroadwayConcierge said: " I am looking forward to praise for Samantha Barks, though. She is an utter joy to watch on that stage."

 

I find it funny how when  she was announced there was so many people saying she was a terrible choice, and what were they thinking and now it all changed. I was, I think, the only person that said she WOULD be incredible. I love that she proved all of you wrong.

 

[Kad]

Did I miss the formal declaration of Barks' turn as a Starmaking Performance or something?

I think she'll get fine notices. But this is not Julia Roberts redux.

[darquegk]

Newintown, you're onto something. One of my best friends and closest confidantes is a wonderful young lady who happens to live a double life as a very high-class escort. I talked to her about this show, and both of us wound up agreeing that there's a story in that experience, to be sure, but "Pretty Woman" is not that story.

[newintown]

darquegk, I agree. I think the 1986 film Working Girls was much more interesting than the two-dimensional Cinderella retread that is Pretty Woman (film or musical).

One significant thing, perhaps - Vivian is no "high-class escort;" she's a streetwalker. And on top of that, a streetwalker who is always perky, an expert on cars, a mistress of hand-to-hand combat, and able to inject scruples and integrity into a man devoid of both. The only thing more ridiculous is that so many people desperately embrace such a narrative. One way the writers make this so palatable is that they never ever ever show Vivian actually plying her trade - that would a) be a potential turn-off, and b) eliminate a (young) part of the potential audience.

[JBC3]

Off to plot my double life as a very high-class escort.

[stephimarie]

newintown said: "darquegk, Iagree. I think the 1986 filmWorking Girlswas much more interesting than the two-dimensional Cinderella retread that isPretty Woman(film or musical).

One significant thing, perhaps - Vivian is no "high-class escort;" she's a streetwalker. And on top of that, a streetwalker who is always perky, an expert on cars, a mistress of hand-to-hand combat, and able to inject scruples and integrity into a man devoid of both. The only thing more ridiculous is that so many people desperately embrace such a narrative. One way the writers make this so palatable is that they never ever ever show Vivian actually plying her trade - that would a) be a potential turn-off, and b) eliminate a (young) part of the potential audience."

so...she isn't allowed to have a positive personality and knowledge of other things just because she's a prostitute?

[SonofRobbieJ]

I think the point is that she is kind of the prototype Manic Pixie Dream Girl...but 'better' because you can just rent her.  It's a straight male fantasy that has no real basis in truth.  It's a fairy tale, sure, but it all rings false.  The only reason the movie works at all is because Julia Roberts is a star of such charm and wattage and the supporting cast is full of interesting character actors who create unique characters.  

[Kad]

The character is the modern ur-example of a Hooker with a Heart of Gold, but, as SonofRobbieJ says, has the Manic Pixie Dream Girl thing down before it was really categorized as a trope.

She exists to help Edward be a better human. Does she change at all? Not really. And his love for her, not coincidentally, only grows once he uses his resources to make her appear more socially acceptable. I guess you could argue that's the arc she has- from streetwalker to a rich man's well-dressed girl. But then you're effectively equating human decency with being upper class.  

She's a straight male's idea of a strong woman. She's smart and spunky and knows about cars, even! But she still exists only to better and complement the man.

Maybe if even a single woman were included in the creative team of the musical, they could've righted some of the source material's datedness.

 

[JaglinSays]

There will be PLENTY of pans.

[roadmixer]

Maybe what people want is the movie translated to the stage - It is only musical theatre entertainment after all, not social commentary!

[Kad]

roadmixer said: "Maybe what people want is the movie translated to the stage - It isonly musical theatre entertainment after all, not social commentary!"

There's been numerous pieces featuring quotes from the cast and creatives about the role feminism and #MeToo have played in this adaptation. When you have a story like this, it is inherently social commentary. Nothing exists in a pleasant vacuum into which the outside world cannot intrude.

 

[Jessetenny]

amNY is negative but praised Orfeh and said it was better than HOH and GTBBT (which it is, obviously.)

https://www.amny.com/entertainment/pretty-woman-review-1.20501172

[Owen22]

Jessetenny said: "amNY is negative but praised Orfeh and said it was better than HOH and GTBBT (which it is, obviously.)

https://www.amny.com/entertainment/pretty-woman-review-1.20501172"

Meh. I found Orfeh to be the most annoying thing in the show.  Mostly because of the way the part was written, but somewhat because of her...

[raddersons]

Bizarre the write-up is so negative but he still gives us 2.5/4 stars. Maybe just to give it an edge over GTTBT and HOH.

[EllieRose2]

It's better than two garbage musicals that will close soon. That's not saying much. I enjoyed this show but didn't find it special, I just like supporting Andy Karl.  

[bwayrose7]

Kad said: "The character is the modern ur-example of a Hooker with a Heart of Gold, but, as SonofRobbieJ says, has the Manic Pixie Dream Girl thing down before it was really categorized as a trope.

She exists to help Edward be a better human. Does she change at all? Not really. And his love for her, not coincidentally, only grows once he uses his resources to make her appear more socially acceptable. I guess you could argue that's the arc she has- from streetwalker to a rich man's well-dressed girl. But then you're effectively equating human decency withbeing upper class.

She's a straight male's idea of a strong woman. She's smart and spunky and knows about cars, even! But she still exists only to better and complement the man.

Maybe if even a single woman were included in the creative team of the musical, they could've righted some of the source material's datedness.

I agree with all of this so, so much. I will say one very small thing to the movie's credit. The "hooker with a heart of gold" trope has been around for a LONG time - lots of literature and opera involve sympathetic prostitutes or "fallen women" (La Traviata, Crime and Punishment, Les Miserables) But Pretty Woman was one of the first that didn't require her to die at the end. That's not to say she's not still a manic pixie dream girl type, but at least being a sexual woman didn't mean she had to "die for her sins" or whatnot - she got to be a romcom lady instead.

[BroadwayBen]

Total pan from Deadline: "Bland MOR songs, costumes mistaking gaudy for glitzy and a sugary lead performance add up to one very smudged, very ill-fitting glass slipper."

https://deadline.com/2018/08/pretty-woman-broadway-review-musical-samantha-barks-julia-roberts-all-dressed-up-no-place-to-go-1202445929/

 

[EthelMae]

Another thing to blame Trump for. So tired of reading reviews of shows that are mediocre at best but praised because they lift us from our crappy depressed moods we are in because of all the nonsense going on in Washington. Just review the show on its own merits.

[Wayman_Wong]

Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune: 'Pretty Woman' on Broadway is great fun, starring Samantha Barks with a heart of gold

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/broadway/sc-ent-pretty-woman-broadway-review-0817-story.html