Could universal beauty eliminate discrimination in the world? Uglies is a movie that touches on beauty stereotypes and societal pressures. Uglies starts looking like a utopia and quickly becomes a dystopia, showing how beauty is not in the appearance but in the community we form and friends who accept us for who we really are.
The goal is to create a world where everyone can be the same, eliminating discrimination. Tally, played by Joey King, is the main character, who has been dreaming about the surgery ever since she could remember, because that is what this society is all about -measuring up to unrealistic standards. The world consists of two cities separated by a bridge, one for the “pretties” and one for the “uglies” (which is basically a boarding school to prepare them for the other world). Each person has a nickname based on their biggest physical flaw (can you imagine being called by your biggest insecurity?) and when they turn 16 they undergo a mandatory plastic surgery.
Things start getting interesting after Tally’s best friend is sent to get surgery and it completely changes his personality. He used to be in love with her, but suddenly it is as if he doesn’t even know her anymore. This made me realize that the “pretty” society only worked because people not only got a procedure to change their physical appearance but also their personality (essentially blocking their emotions). Later, she makes a new friend who wants to escape to “the Smokes,” which is the closest there is to our current civilization, and leads her to embark on an adventure of self discovery.
Through the movie there is a good contrast between the “pretty” and “ugly” worlds, criticizing our society’s standards of beauty. There is the perfect amount of romance and action, which is ideal because the romance does not overshadow the main theme of the movie but adds to the plot. Furthermore, I felt that the movie has a fast enough pace that keeps you engaged but takes its time to let the information you’re given sink in. I would give this movie a 8/10. I would recommend watching Uglies with friends and family. The movie is available on Netflix and has a 63% Rotten Tomatoes score (although I honestly believe it deserves at least an 85%).
