Time to take a deeper look

discovers people don’t find her attractive. What he sees is a woman who genuinely doesn’t care what people think of her and is just up having a great time.

Sure, Renee just thinks she’s smoking hot and that’s why she feels no fear, but in keeping with her delusion it is the outward appearance that makes the point here.

That bikini contest scene is a surprisingly touching one. It is set up to make us expect jarring awkwardness, cringeworthy stuff, but it turns into something much more beautiful and affirming.

We also see that everyone has their own insecurities and self-image issues. In another movie it might look disingenuous to say: “Even beautiful people have problems!” Waaah, right? But it isn’t really about that.

Ethan, Renee’s boss, the models, all of them have their own insecurities and self-confidence problems, not necessarily related to their physical appearance.

Ethan goes to a Zumba class, full of women, because he lacks the confidence to enter a gym full of macho guys. Renee’s boss, Avery LeClaire (Michelle Williams), hates her squeaky voice and fears her grandmother’s disapproval. The point is, everyone has something that makes them feel small.

But the revelation here, the moral of the story, isn’t something as trite as “everyone is beautiful”. That would be to miss the point entirely. The message is that it just doesn’t matter.

And I think that’s a good one to take home.

A few good laughs along the way are a nice bonus.

(M) is now showing at Village Cinemas and Cmax. Rating: