Review: America the Beautiful
January 19, 2010 by Michelle Cantrell
Filed under Love Thy Self
One of the first questions Darryl Roberts asks in his documentary America the Beautiful is “Who benefits from women not feeling beautiful?” As the film spends the next 105 minutes trying to find the answers to that question, you witness the full impact of our obsession with beauty through tales of girls with eating disorders, plastic surgeries gone wrong, and the whirlwind modeling career of Gerren Taylor who did her first runway shows at the age of 12.
Roberts, who undertook this project after the search for the perfect women led him down an empty road filled with false promises of happiness, examines the different industries that benefit from America’s preoccupation with perfection. One 12-year-old boy interviewed in the film sums it up quite simply when he says “companies put people down to make money”. He realizes already that the more people feel bad about themselves, the more they will seek products and services to improve their self image. This might explain that while America has 5% of the world’s population, we are exposed to 40% of the world’s advertising. Talking about creating a perfect image, world-renowned fashion photographer Marc Baptiste remarks “at the end of the day, we’re selling dreams”. But of course, they are dreams that can never be realized.
As Roberts follows Gerren’s pursuit of her own dream of becoming a super model, he interweaves her tale with a closer look at the cosmetics industry, the media and their role in creating unattainable expectations for both men and women and the toll that is taken, physically and mentally on our society.
America the Beautiful features insightful interviews of people from all sides of the issue. There is the guy who starts out saying “my idea of a perfect women is, first of all, she’s gotta be hot,” raising the question “is this the person for whom we are trying so hard to reach perfection?” There are interviews with representatives from the media industry some of whom admit to some amount of culpability, while others laugh at the mere suggestion that media has any role on the behaviors of those to whom it is targeted. (Of course, isn’t that why advertising exists in the first place?) We also meet plastic surgeons, toxicologists, and various girls and women who can only see their shortcomings.
My favorite interview though is with Eve Ensler who wrote and performed in the play The Vagina Monologues. As someone who has achieved great success and has been such a strong voice for empowering women worldwide, she would seem above suffering from a poor body image. And yet her description of a conversation with a woman in Africa about not knowing how to love her own body makes the viewer realize that even the strongest of women are vulnerable to the idea that there is such a thing as the perfect body.
Ultimately though she realizes that we all have a vision problem. “Every woman is beautiful in her particular way; if we developed eyes and we develop spirit, we would see that every woman is beautiful.” This statement alone really sums up the whole point of the film, but equally profound is her comment on plastic surgery: “Stop fixing yourself. You were never broken.”
Roberts spends considerable time delving into the darker side of plastic surgery — a side to which every woman considering any procedure should become acquainted. We learn that, thanks to a FTC ruling in 1977, anyone with an M.D. can hang a sign up on their door saying they are a plastic surgeon and start doing business. And there is no end to the procedures that can be done to “enhance” one’s features, including creating “designer vaginas”. But as Eve Ensler says, “to think you’re not tight enough, well, get a bigger dick.”
The film also highlights some startling statistics like the fact that in 2004 Americans spent $12.4 billion on cosmetic surgery, while the estimated cost for basic nutrition and health care in developing countries is $13 billion. In addition, we spend over $45 billion per year on cosmetic and beauty products. And yet, we put little thought into exactly what it is we are applying to our skin. According to Roberts’ research, there are 884 toxic ingredients found in cosmetics. While the EU has banned 450 ingredients commonly used in cosmetics, including the phthalates which have been shown to be toxic to the reproductive system, the FDA has banned only 6 ingredients and continues to allow phthalates which of course the cosmetic industry still argues are perfectly safe.
At one point in the movie, after we question if a woman who has just undergone plastic surgery will awake from anesthesia — which ultimately is what carries the most risk in plastic surgery procedures — Darryl Roberts says he called every man he knew and told them to tell every woman they know that they are beautiful exactly the way they are.
Going back to the beginning of the movie, Roberts draws a correlation between women gaining the right to vote, and the introduction of the Miss America Pageant, suggesting that to keep women from gaining too much power, women were becoming more suppressed by the burden of beauty, requiring a whole new level of preoccupation. I have now seen this movie three times, and each time I am left wondering how much we could change the world if we took all the time, effort, and money that we devote to beauty, and put it towards something important, like world hunger, basic human rights and the protection of our environment. Perhaps one day self-improvement will be equated with improving the lives of those around us, and Robert’s film will remind you that your own beauty has less to do with looking like the photo-shopped pages of a magazine, and more to do with what you radiate from within.
For your chance to win a copy of the Limited Edition America the Beautiful DVD, enter a comment below by 12:00 pm EST December 11, 2009 saying that you would like to win a copy of America the Beautiful. For more chances to win, be sure to become a VenusVision fan on Facebook and follow VenusVision on Twitter (@VenusVision).
VenusVision “America the Beautiful DVD” Promotion Terms and Conditions
Win Limited Edition America the Beautiful DVD
Limit 1 prize per person. By entering this contest, you agree to the following rules and conditions: In order to be eligible, participants must be legal residents of the U.S. and leave one comment on the America the Beautiful review (http://venusvision.com/review-america-the-beautiful/) that states interest in winning DVD between the hours of 12 pm December 7, 2009 and 12 p.m. EST December 11, 2010. The winning comment will be chosen at random using a random number generator. Prizes are nontransferable. Prizes will be shipped via regular mail to the participant at the address they indicate via email within 48 hours of notification of winning. Notification will contacted via email by email and will be announced via the Facebook VenusVision Fan Page (http://www.facebook.com/VenusVision) and on Twitter (@VenusVision). By entering, you give VenusVision and Cantrell Media permission to use your name in association with this contest. Winner must respond within 48 hours to winning notification email, or prize will be forfeited, and another winner will be selected at random. Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery. Participant addresses will not be used for any other purpose and will be destroyed upon shipment of prizes. VenusVision and it’s parent company Cantrell Media is not responsible for and shall not be liable for: (i) any condition caused by events beyond the control of Cantrell Media that may cause the Promotion to be disrupted or corrupted; (ii) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Promotion; or (iii) any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising in connection with or as a result of the prize, or acceptance, possession, or use of the prize, or from participation in the Promotion. Promotion offer valid while supplies last. Void where prohibited by law.
Excellent review. I’ve heard so much about this film since before it was even being shown; it still hasn’t come to even the obscure movie stores in my city (I’m not sure if it was shown in theatres at all in Canada…). But it looks fascinating and I LOVE the fact that there are people out there making documentaries of issues such as this- it’s the kind of thing that really needs to be TOLD, if we want to try to break the cycle and help ourselves get over this obsession- or at least have a better understanding and control of the effect all of the media has on us.
I would love to WIN a copy. I think it would be great to show at my women’s group!
Love the review – excellent commentary. I would not dismiss beauty entirely – we are visual beings and what we look like matters. Rather, I would advocate for beauty that is achieved through sensible means, such as maintaining good health, exercising, paying attention to what we put on our plates and over our bodies.
That, incidentally, is one of the lessons we could learn from Europe – the same Europe so many Americans dismiss as cowardly, old and decadent. Well, apparently the EU citizens are plenty courageous to outlaw harmful beauty chemicals, to focus their medical system on health and disease prevention and to expand the fruit and vegetable sections of their stores (instead of the freezer sections and candy aisles).
Would love to win and watch the video – it is bound to be thought-provoking.
I’d really love to win a copy of this dvd!! I’m following on Twitter already and am also already a fan on Facebook.
I agree Maria. It is inherent perhaps in all of nature to seek out that which is beautiful, and therefore it is somewhat natural to strive for beauty on some levels. Insects are attracted to more brightly colored flowers. Female birds are more attracted to more colorful male birds, etc. The problem is the way in which we define human beauty in our society and the methods we undertake to achieve it.
And I definitely agree that the EU is much more willing to stand up to big corporations in the name of public safety and what’s right for the planet. We could learn quite a few lessons from our friends across the pond by following in their footsteps.
“Stop fixing your body, it was never broken”. A wonderful sentiment. I’d love to watch this with my young adult daughters and friends. Then donate to the library.
Thanks for the review, Michelle! I would love to win a copy! I love Eve Ensler!
“Stop fixing your body, it was never broken” is a great quote as long as you are taking care of your body by eating right and exercising. I would like to watch this movie and share it with my friends and I think it may also be good for my teenage sons to see as well.
Great review. I have been following Darryl’s journey around the country, and his conversations with women about their bodies/body image. As someone who has been living (and, at times, close to not living) with disordered eating and a distorted body image since my preadolescent years, I cannot say enough about the need for changes in our societal/cultural standards of “beauty.”
I’d love to have a copy of this DVD to show at Green Mountain. So if I don’t win, looks like I’m going to have to buy a copy! Thanks for bringing it to our attention, Michelle. I’m linking to the review on our blog on Friday. That will probably bring a lot of competition for the drawing. Oh, well, it’s for a good cause!
I love it, thank you for sharing!
As a young women who really struggled with this for years, I know how the confusing messages about body image can harm person and get them away from their dreams. I have been letting go of all these harmful messages over the last year and I’m so happy to be seeing documentary style films like this one and I would be so excited to see it and have my own copy as well!
This stuff is so important so lets do what we can to share the love
Shannon Buckley
Hey Girl- I would love love love a copy!! I wanted to show it to my group programs…thank you for sharing this and creating a consciousness xo
Really great review. Whether I win or not, this is a documentary I will definitely see! And it will be something for me to share with my clients. Though I do help women lose weight, I help them do it healthy and NOT by following a ‘diet’ or trying to fit the mold of what they “should” look like. I help them find the weight that is best for THEM and their body — not what society, advertising, marketing, or others tell them it should be.
In my teens I suffered from an eating disorder, and also dealt with body image issues even long after I recovered from the eating disorder. And I meet and see more and more women and children who too deal with body image issues. And the girls (and boys) keep getting younger and younger. We definitely need to stop that.
Thanks for opening my eyes to this documentary and for help spreading the word!
This is amazing and beautiful. If it was affordable I could see this as a curriculum for girls in elementry-high school. I am a young woman, 21 years old, who suffers from the disapproval of my self image. I am with an amazing guy who never judges me, but no matter what I constantly feel like I’m not pretty enough for him. I also work at a national hotline for teens and I hear about how many boys make expectations for girls and how many girls make even higher expectations for themselves. It’s sad, to walk through the mall and pick up what you think is your size of clothing and learn that even though the number is same on the tag… it really did get smaller. A size 4 is not the same as it was 5 or 10 years ago. This movie is great, I can’t wait to see it and possibly win it. If I don’t win it, I’ll be buying it anyways. Great job!
There is actually a PG version that Roberts came out with just for the purpose of using it in school curriculum. I think mostly they had to take out a couple of “F” words, and probably had to remove some pretty graphic plastic surgery scenes. It should definitely be shown to high school kids across America though. And if you don’t win today, stay tuned, because I have three more copies to give away after today’s contest!
I would like to win a copy of America the Beautiful.
I would LOVE to win a copy of this film! As an aspiring documentary film maker on body image, the subject alone is thrilling to me. I have been waiting to see this film for such a long time. I read about it before it was finished being made and then last year I met a couple of people who worked on the film while at the Sundance Film Festival. I’m so very glad that it is getting out there for the world to see and I know that even if I don’t win a copy I will be finding a way to see this film soon! Thanks for posting the review, I am very glad to hear that it is as good as I hoped!
Suzanne is the randomly chosen winner of our first give away! Congratulations Suzanne! Look in your email for more information. And everyone else, stay tuned! I have three more copies to give away!
Thank you, VenusVision, for the copy of America the Beautiful.
I will be working with various groups and institutions in our area over the next few months to hold a community-wide showing of the film and discussion of the issues surrounding women and body image.