The Girl Most Likely too… is a worth watching film, the central theme of which is the problem of appearance, which affects the perception of a person by others. Fascinating is that the author of the masterpiece herself turned to the help of plastic surgeons, which suggests that the inspiration for the creation of the main character was Rivers’ own story. The movie’s black humour has distinct shades, ranging from self-deprecation to biting comments about other personalities. However, in these dark and somewhat sarcastic jokes, a harrowing story is hidden, keeping the audience in suspense until the end.
Stockard Channing is the main character, a young girl with an inferiority complex who has been ridiculed at school for several years because of her appearance. It is essential to note the movie’s relevance because, even though it was filmed several decades ago, the topic raised does not lose its relevance. Channing’s appearance is far from those imaginary standards imposed by society: disproportionate facial features, clumsiness, and untidy wardrobe. Despite this, the girl is always open to communication, witty and social. Despite her humour and friendliness, fate sends her new trials every time, which is especially noteworthy in the scene depicting a date at the medical campus. The film opens vast opportunities for reflection on whether a change in the protagonist’s behaviour could have influenced her life and whether she had a chance to become successful by changing her inner, not outer, world.
Numerous modern movies depict happy stories of transformation and love, but the Girl Most Likely too… cannot belong to this category. The turning point in the heroine’s fate was a car accident, which became both the end and the beginning because the impeccable work of surgeons turned the girl into a natural beauty. At this moment, the film raises the next equally important topic for reflection, which concerns the issue of plastic surgery. Sociocultural theory suggests that social and cultural contexts shape beauty standards. It leads to people evaluating their appearance based on standards determined by their society, regardless of the era, as the film proves. It is believed that plastic surgery helps to get rid of complexes and increases society’s attention because, unfortunately, images tied to appearance still poison the lives of many.
Thus, it can be presumed that the operation can make life better — at least, make one feel more confident. The example of Channing demonstrates how manipulations with appearance cause dramatic changes. Unremarkable Channing, in an instant, became the main object of men’s desires, but whether it made her happier remains an unanswered question. Using plastic surgery to improve one’s appearance may seem like a quick and effective remedy, but it is not the way to solve mental health concerns. A radical change in appearance could not affect the solution to the problems of the past, and therefore the film’s premise was based on the theme of the nature of revenge. The author makes one think about whether such an ending can be delighted, and the theme of external and internal is still an object of debate.
The Girl Most Likely too…is an introduction to the dual concept of plastic surgery and black humour. This film raises unequivocally fundamental themes of bullying and self-acceptance; therefore, it still has not lost its relevance. The film also makes one wonder if Rivers struggled with bullying as a child and if this inspired her to have plastic surgery that early in life. Appearance transformations are becoming increasingly popular, but they cannot always cause a happy ending.